Time Does Not Heal All Wounds
by Azukka
Summary: In a future where the resident alien has been forgotten by the passage of time. An alien invader that was once tasked to invade Earth but failed time and again. An alien invader who's identity was unknown to all but two humans: the Membrane siblings. What happened to this certain alien? Why was he forgotten in the first place?
1. Nightmares

**Disclaimer:** This is going to be a start on my attempt to write a story about a cartoon that I don't obviously own.

 **AN:** Hey guys! So, I'm actually quite new at writing a story about Invader Zim so please cut me some slack as I try to be as good as I can be. One of the main reasons why I'm writing this now is to just satiate my desire to share my imagination with other people. This idea is actually floating inside my head for a few days now and I just can't help but write it and post on this site!

Also, I know it would be inevitable as readers from my other stories will probably stumble upon this and will question me why I abandoned them. The thing is, I kind of lost my drive in finishing them... I know I sound selfish in saying that I'm probably not going to finish them but that just happens, you know? Hope you guys understand.

Anyways, please enjoy this story!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

 **Update:** Wow... I never noticed how bad this first chapter was! I was sitting for an hour just trying to decide whether I should change this or not! Anyways, here's the updated one!

* * *

" **Nightmares** **"**

 _He ran._

 _He could hear his heavy breathing very clearly as he thundered down the corridor. He didn't know where he was going but he still kept moving his legs. His lungs started aching, his throat felt dry, but still he persisted._

 _He ran as fast as he could. All around him were machines that he himself had no idea how they worked even if he was given a lifetime to study them. He still knew where they came from though. He recognized the shapes, and symbols on them. Most importantly, he recognized the insignia all around him. An upside down triangle with a circle in the middle with two horns on top which for some odd reason was glowing bright red in the dark giving the corridor a very eerie feeling to it._

 _Just remembering those beasts made his blood boil. He can't remember why but instincts told him to hate them. To curse their names. To spill their blood._

 _But still, he ran even with those thoughts in mind. Even if his legs felt like they would snap off from all the running, he didn't stop._

 _There was a reason for that though._

 _For at the end of the corridor, behind a giant red door, he could hear laughter. Not the kind where friends share a joke amongst themselves. This laughter was akin to the one you heard in mental hospitals._

 _He redoubled his efforts before he halted to a stop in front of it. Without any second thoughts, he kicked the door open with all his might and actually broke the door off its hinges. He glared at the source of the laughter but the image in front of him made his eyes widened in horror._

" _Ahh... You have finally came!" said the person in front of him haughtily. "I was beginning to think that you were chickening out considering that you are a coward for using someone else as a distraction while you sabotage my plans! But nonetheless, you are too late to stop me! You know why? Because you are a fool to trust me!" The person continued followed by his loud cackling while he threw his head back._

 _But he wasn't listening to him. His attention was on the table behind him._

 _His gritted his teeth and clenched his fists when he realized that the person he was looking for was spread-eagled on the table. How could he be so reckless to leave her alone? Why did he think that she could do it by herself? Because he knew that he was a coward. He knew that he didn't have it in him to do the things that she could._

" _This is getting boring" The other person yawned mockingly. Without any warning, he raised a futuristic looking gun and pointed it at him. "Time to end this. Goodbye."_

 _BANG_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dib shot up from the hospital bed as he clutched his head in terror and released a bloodcurdling scream.

Gaz, who was tasked on watching over Dib since their father was busy with work, just turned to him with a raised brow before shrugging and returning to her Game Slave 2.

After a few minutes of constant screaming, Dib finally settled down as he tried to get his bearings back together. It took a while before realized that he was currently wearing a hospital gown and that he was on a bed.

He was frantically looking around before he was able to spot Gaz.

"G-Gaz... What happened...? And why am I... in a hospital?" he asked as he continued to try and catch his breath.

Gaz looked up from her game as she regarded her brother once again, contemplating whether to answer him or not. "You were in your lab experimenting, again, when something exploded in there. Dad was about to check up on you when smoke started seeping out from under your door. He told me to stand back and not to enter the room, not that I was going to save you that is. It was only later though when dad thought it was safe to enter, only to find you on the ground unconscious. So he decided that it would be best that you would be sent to the hospital while he returned to his work." She said in a single breath and said it in such a tone like she was talking about the weather.

"O-oh yeah... Now I remember" Dib said as he looked down on his hands. "I was trying to clone the lab rat when something went wrong with the machine I was using. It seems that using duct tape to hold on to the wires is a bad idea"

Gaz just nodded her head and returned to her game. "Yeah, sure. Anyways, if you keep this up then you will eventually kill yourself. Not that there is anything wrong with that."

Dib just glared at Gaz like she just insulted him "Hey! You might not care about anything but that doesn't mean you should at least care for our planet! What if another irken attacks us and we don't have any means of defending ourselves? What then, huh?!"

Gaz just glared back at him, and for once in his life he didn't even flinch. She rolled her eyes after a while before getting up and walked towards the door. She stopped for a moment and looked back at him. "For the record, I would have preferred if you were the one who died, not him."

Dib just glared at the door where Gaz exited. "What is that supposed to mean?! Hey, we're not done talking!"

Dib growled before he plopped back to the bed. What did she mean by that? He was her brother! How could she think that that _alien_ was more important than him?! Dib decided that he should just sleep it off. Maybe something good will happen tomorrow.

Maybe.

* * *

 **AN:** Hey there! I hope this introductory chapter was not confusing! Just comment and tell me what you guys think so I can improve my writing!


	2. Memories

**Disclaimer:** Apparently this is still a thing... Oh, and I don't own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** Hey everyone! Just posted a chapter and I already found a mistake... Whoops... Anyways, disregard the summary for the story since I just put it there as a placeholder. The thing is, in this story, Dib and Gaz are now in High-Skool and both of them are 17, and 16 yrs old respectively. I hope that clears some of the confusion and I'll also update the summary later to be more understandable.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Memories** **"**

Dib groaned as he opened his eyes and turned his head away from the sun. He couldn't remember falling asleep last night with the nightmare and all. Not to mention his little argument with his little sister. Sitting up, he looked around and noticed that he was alone in the room.

"Looks like Gaz left for skool already." he mumbled to himself as he stretched his limbs. Dib knew that it was Monday since he spent the whole weekend, again, in his lab. He really did need a hobby other than spending most of his time in his lab.

A scowl then appeared on his face when he remembered his conversation with his sister.

 _Don't judge me like you know me Dib. Just because we're siblings doesn't mean you know how I feel._

Dib sighed knowing that he should probably apologize to her later for his actions when he goes to skool. Dib completely forgot that _he_ was still a sensitive topic when it came to Gaz. Not that he had any idea why. It was ironic how they lived in the same house for most of their lives but he knew next to nothing about his sister except for the fact that she loved playing her video games to the point that she ignored everyone around her.

 _Dib-filth!_ _This is the last time you will interfere with Zim_ _!_

He shook his head at the memory and gritted his teeth. He was so close to creating a perfect clone of the rat! He just needed to make a few more adjustments to the machine and maybe, just maybe, he would be able to get it to work.

After all, what was the point of preserving the alien's antennae if he was not gonna use it. Dib could still remember his screams when his plan went wrong for the last time.

It took Dib an hour before he could convince the doctor taking care of him that he was fit enough to check out from the hospital. Most of the hour was spent in taking physical exams and the doctor checking his vitals to see if something was still wrong in his system.

To say that the doctor was impressed with Dib's physique was an understatement. He never encountered a teenager as fit as the one he was examining.

Dib, for whatever reason, decided after he entered High-Skool that he should spend his free time working out. He actually spent a week during that time by reading, and watching workout guides to get the most effective way in achieving the ideal body he wanted.

Dib was actually a fairly attractive young male. His facial structure was sharp enough to be mistaken for a model and his body was fit enough to be mistaken for a football player. He had both looks and brains but not everyone was perfect.

If he just stopped spouting about aliens and how they'll take over their planet in the near future then there was a high possibility that girls would flock around him.

After getting the clear from the doctor, he proceeded to get dressed and looked over himself on the mirror. Over the years, Dib rarely changed his style of clothing. He still had his trademark black trench coat with him since his childhood. The weird thing was that everyone who knew him could've sworn that the trench coat was actually growing with Dib every year which only adds the weirdness they see him as.

There was also a time a few years ago that Dib decided to replace his glasses with contact lenses to see how the other kid's would react but to his dismay it just made his look even weirder. So he just decided to get smaller glasses that he is comfortable with.

Aside from his trench coat and glasses, Dib was wearing black pants, and a pair of combat boots giving him a sinister look. Sometimes, while walking down the street, Dib thought of himself like a secret agent on a mission. In a way, he was in a mission. A mission to protect planet Earth from invaders.

After nodding to himself in satisfaction, Dib left the hospital in a rush since he was already two hours late for Skool. Not that the teacher noticed or cared.

o. o. o.

 _ **Previously that night**_

For all intents and purposes, Gaz just needed a reason to get out of that place. She knew that their father was just overreacting about Dib and so there was no reason for her to stay there until morning. For all she knew Dib was just making an excuse so that their father would notice him, pitiful fool.

Since Dib woke up, Gaz decided to go home and since Dib was obviously going to stay at the hospital for the duration of the night and was going to moan about his mistakes and he needed to get out so that he could prepare for an invasion. Gaz rolled her eyes at that, Dib's obsession was already getting old and she'd rather be somewhere else than there.

Speaking of not being there, normally, girls in Gaz's age were advised not to stay out on the streets in the middle of the night for the fear of being taken advantage of. Most girls at least since Gaz was far from normal. Sure, with her looks and figure she could be mistaken for a teenager who spent the majority of the night partying and was just hurrying in going home since it was a school night.

It was actually nobody's fault if they would mistake her for being defenseless. Especially if she purposely made herself look helpless.

Gaz, unlike her brother, was on a whole new level when it comes to beauty. She, for a lack of a better term, was naturally beautiful and had a fit physique. For a sixteen year old girl who spent most of her time playing video games, and eating pizza, she had a body comparable to a tall model. Not only did she look beautiful, she also had a brain to boot. If she wanted, she could also invent whatever Dib could think of.

Just like Dib, Gaz was far from perfect. Unlike Dib though, she reinforced her imperfectness. If it wasn't for her attitude towards others and her lack of social skills, she would've been on the highest point of the social ladder in skool. Gaz didn't care though since all she ever bothered in caring was her games, or so they thought.

Unlike Dib, Gaz couldn't care less what she looked like. It was known throughout the Skool that if Gaz had bothered flirting with the boys then she could easily wrapped them around her finger, much to the popular girls' irritation.

What was weird was that Gaz didn't like being appreciated, instead, she wanted to be feared. She wanted the students to bow down to her, not because of her beauty and or smarts but because out of fear and obedience. She would rather rule the world with an iron fist than with... ugh love...

There was just something disturbing about love that left a bad taste to her mouth.

Like Dib, Gaz was also different in many ways, especially when compared to the other girls. Most girls would panic when sweat ran down their skin. Gaz would panic when there would be a new game, initially at least. Most girls would likely stay in groups, hoping to be on the popular part of society. Gaz would rather eat soap than be around those kind of people. Most girls got worried whether their crush noticed them or not. Gaz would threaten any boy trying to talk to her, more so when flirting with her.

But no matter what she did, she still looked like an eye candy to strangers. That was why when she was just only a few blocks away from their house, she heard footsteps behind her, following her, and those footsteps were not alone. Not the first time that she was followed but more than one was new. Might make things interesting.

Gaz, trying to suppress her smirk, "decided" to take the shortcut through the alley. To get home faster, of course. You never know what might happen to a defenseless girl in the middle of the night with no one around to help her.

Or to hear someone screaming.

The three strangers trailing the cute, defenseless girl grinned sadistically as she turned a corner and entered an alleyway. Desperate to have a good time, they hastened their walking, hoping to catch the purple haired girl by surprise. They actually thought that they scored big with this girl and was also hoping that she had money for them to buy drugs for. Today was a lucky day for them.

Those poor unaware fools. If only they decided to walk the streets at night on another day then maybe, just maybe...

Entering the alleyway, they were greeted with darkness with the only source of light was from behind them.

"H-Hey... Maybe we sh-should just find someone else to-" The youngest of the bunch said hesitantly, second guessing himself, but was cut off by the leading one.

"Don't you dare chicken out now." The supposed leader growled, trying to see in the darkness. "If you do then you better hope you get a goodnight sleep tonight because you won't be waking up." He warned before walking through with confidence with the other two following, hesitantly.

"Now, let's hurry before she gets a-" He commanded before he was cut off by a weird sound that they heard as they turned a corner.

Scraping.

The sounds of scraping could be heard around. Because they were in an enclosed, quiet area, the sounds were echoing around them.

"Quick, get your flashlights!" The leader barked as he whipped his head around, trying to find the source of the sound. "Who's there! Show yourself before things get ugly!" He commanded, hiding the fact that he was scared.

They had completely forgotten about the girl they were following.

The youngest one there reached into his pockets and took out flashlight, before flashing light on one of the walls while the other one raised his hands in a defensive position. The first thing the youngest noticed were the scratch lines on the wall he was facing. He raised an eyebrow at the oddity and was about to call the other two when he noticed movement behind him.

Before he could utter a word, a hand roughly grabbed him from behind while another covered his mouth, dragging him into the shadows without anyone noticing since the others were busy looking for someone else. His face was smashed towards the wall and before he could recover sharp objects pierced his neck in four different places. He was losing consciousness fast but before he could succumb to his injuries, he heard one of his friends scream in terror. Smiling sadly to himself, he remembered shouting to his mother this morning about how he was going to become rich one day and then mock her for going against him.

A third and final scream echoed throughout the alleyway before everything became quiet again.

Tap, tap, tap.

Ever so slowly, footsteps could be heard leaving the alleyway on the other side. A few seconds later, Gaz exited and continued walking back to her house with no care in the world. If anyone was there, they would notice that her fingernails where sharper than before. If anyone was there, they would notice the ever present smirk on her face that wasn't there when she entered the alleyway.

If anyone was there, they would've noticed that four people went in, but only one came out.

o. o. o.

Dib was just barely arrived in his classroom for third period when the bell rang. He sighed in relief and plopped down on his seat because he was early enough not to get scolded by Ms. Bitters for being tardy again.

Speaking of Ms. Bitters, Dib had to wonder how in the world she was still their homeroom teacher? Wasn't she supposed to be teaching 4th grade students? What was she doing in high skool?

As if reading Dib's thoughts, Ms. Bitters turned her head towards him in such a slow manner that he could almost hear the creaking noise a door makes when opened slowly. Dib gulped when he felt her eyes piercing his very soul. Ms. Bitters kept her gaze at him as if daring him to continue his train of thought.

To Dib's relief, he actually exhaled loudly at this causing his classmates look at him funny, Ms. Bitters then turned her attention to the whole class.

"Class, as much as like nothing to do with you sorry excuse for adults, let me introduce to you our new student who transferred from Who-the-hell-cares." She began with a drone making the whole class sweat drop. "Let me introduce to you, Zik"

Dib raised an eyebrow at that. As weird as his skool was, that caught him by surprise.

Zik? What kind of name was that?

Then his eyes widened further when he realized the implication of that name. No, it couldn't be. There was no way it was just mere coincidence.

Dib didn't actually know what to expect from how the new _student_ would look like. If this was like before then he should be expecting the new guy having green skin or something similar like that.

Too bad that he wasn't ready for what was coming. When Zik entered the room everyone gasped in shock and awe.

Zik was a tall and also a fairly build guy. He had neat, black hair, blue eyes, and he was fair skinned. He was wearing a white buttoned up shirt that was hugging his frame in all the right places, black pants and black shoes, giving him that nerdy but cool look. Dib instantly noticed that Zik had a casual but stern stance to him, meaning that he was probably knowledgeable in martial arts.

With a lopsided smirk, which caused some girls to sigh with stars in their eyes, he bowed and said in a smooth voice. "Hey everyone, I hope that we can all get along. I also hope tha-" but before he could finish his introduction he was cut off when Ms. Bitters told him to shut up and sit on the chair infront of Dib that has been empty for the past three years. Why nobody sat infront of Dib for the past three years is a mystery in itself.

Dib eyed Zik warily as the new guy sat down. He was obviously an alien if Dib had anything to say about it. He wasn't going to say anything though.

He clearly remembered what happened the last time he called out that their new classmate was an alien.

No, this time was going to be different. If he was going to expose this alien then he had to do it subtlety.

It was only a few hours later before lunch did Dib commence his plan in exposing Zik.

Dib snorted at that. Seriously, aliens were dumb. That was a stupid name if he ever heard one, completely ignoring the fact that he also had a stupid name.

He shook his head and stood from his chair just as Zik exited the room. Just as Dib suspected, Zik started going around the skool.

Probably trying to memorize everything before he starts his takeover. Dib also noticed that Zik was being greeted by each and every student he passed by, with the girls giggling as he waved at them.

Great... Another reason to hate the guy.

It was only after stalking the new kid for a few more minutes did Dib realize that they were headed for the cafeteria.

He sighed when he noticed how hungry he was since he obviously skipped breakfast just to get to skool. Deciding that he should risk eating the cafeteria food, he waited in line right behind Zik.

Zik turned around and his eyes widened in recognition. "Hey! You're the guy who sits behind me in class!" With a huge smile on his face, he offered his hand for Dib to shake. "In case you have forgotten, I'm Zik!" He said smoothly, making the girls around him once again swoon.

Dib laughed awkwardly, still believing that Zik was an alien in disguise, and shook the awaiting hand. "Dib. Dib Membrane. Pleasure to make your acquaintance!"

Not.

Zik nodded his head in approval but before he could continue talking, they were already on the head of the line and decided to continue their conversation later.

They picked their food in silence and when they tried to find seats that was where the problem lied.

Zik looked around for a little while before looking back at Dib and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Actually, since I'm new and all, can I please sit with you? I don't think I feel comfortable eating alone in a crowded place like this."

Dib raised an eyebrow at that. Even when Zik was looking for a place to sit, he noticed that the other teenagers were actually beckoning the new student to sit with them. Mentally preparing himself for a possible interrogation by the alien, he nodded his head. He was ready for this. This was what he was training for after all.

"Uh, sure. I do have a spot for us but I don't think you would like it when I tell you why." He said when he and Zik started walking towards the only table where nobody else was sitting on.

Probably because a girl playing video games was already sitting on it. Said girl could probably beat you up when you look at her the wrong way.

"Nah, that's cool. I prefer the privacy actually." Zik waved his concern off and glanced at the table where they would be sitting on.

To Dib's confusion, Zik suddenly stopped walking and stared wide eyes at the purple haired girl .

"Uh Dib..." he started in a daze. "Do you know that girl?" He asked, pointing at Gaz.

Dib once again raised a brow at Zik's change of tone when he followed his gaze back. "Oh you mean her... Well she's-" but he was cut off as Zik shushed him. Before he could ask why he was interrupted, Zik started walking to the table with what he could interpret as determination. Determination for what, he didn't know but he was going to find out in a few minutes.

Zik coughed loudly, forcing Gaz to look up at him. "Hello there, miss. I can't help but notice you being alone here. Is it ok if my friend and I sit with you here since there are no other tables available?" he asked politely while giving her his signature lopsided smirk.

Gaz eyed him for a few seconds before shrugging her shoulders and once again ignoring him.

Interpreting that as a yes, Zik sat down infront of her happily.

Dib blinked owlishly at the scene that just played.

What the hell just happened?

He shook his head and looked down and noticed a rectangular object beside his foot. Picking it up, he realized that it was an i.d.

When he turned it around, the first thing he noticed was Zik's smiling face with his name written below it.

Zeke Andrian Mathews.

* * *

 **AN:** Before anyone asks, no, this is not going to be a romance between Dib and Zeke(shudders). Their relationship, if there is one, is strictly just friends.

Also, please tell me if my writing needs work since I'm still new with the IZ universe.


	3. Knowledge

**Disclaimer:** Once again I am obligated to say that I don't own Invader Zim. Being forced actually but we are not allowed to say that out loud.

 **AN:** Hello again everyone! Just stopping by here to tell you that I'm actually quite surprised that people are reading this! Never would I have thought that people will get interested in this mess of an idea I have. Enjoy!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Knowledge** **"**

Dib kept stealing glances between Gaz and Zik, I mean Zeke, as the former kept playing her Game Slave and the latter was happily munching away on his food. Dib was surprised and nervous about the situation if he was going to be blunt. He was surprised that Gaz hadn't lashed out on Zeke yet since he was eating noisily, and he was also nervous about _when_ Gaz would lash out on the said student since he was probably going to be included in said lashing.

It was probably the most stressful lunch break in his life but, to his relief, the violence never came.

"So miss..." Zik started as he smiled politely at Gaz, making Dib pale considerably since he just thought that they were in the clear. "I noticed that you are currently holding the newest edition for the Game Slave. In fact, I don't think I've seen that model before." He said curiously, peering at the device in Gaz's hand. Beside him, Dib was biting his nails in sheer worry.

Gaz didn't even look up when she replied. "So?"

"So," he puffed out his chest, not even slightly disheartened by Gaz's lack of interest. "I was wondering if you could let me take a look at it for a few seconds." He asked politely. Seriously, this guy was making Dib look like a brat.

This time, Gaz looked up with a raised brow, pausing her game. "And why would I let you do that?"

Seeing that he succeeded in getting her attention, Zik's smile widened into a grin. "Not to brag but I actually know a lot about the Game Slave 2 and since I am obviously trying to be the nice guy here, I thought that maybe you would like me to take a good look at it and make some adjustments and add some new features for you to enjoy with."

Dib would've thought that he was being sarcastic but the seriousness in his voice made him thought otherwise. Then again, Zim was also curious with Gaz's game slave so maybe it was an alien thing.

Gaz just stared blankly at him for a few seconds before snorting and shaking her head. "No thank you. I appreciate the offer but I rather not have somebody else touch my games."

Instead of being insulted, Zik nodded knowingly. "Fair enough. I mean, it's understandable that you're afraid that I'll accidentally delete your saved files and waste all the progress that you've made. Trust me, it happened to me before too when I had someone else play my games." While being unnoticed by Zik, Gaz smiled a little. Whoever this guy was, he knew how she felt about video games, if only a little bit.

Dib saw her smile though and he had to resist snarling at Zik. How dare he take advantage of his sister's weakness to video games! Whatever this alien was planning it better not involve his sister or there would be problems.

As both boys continued eating, Dib was fuming at the fact that Zik was able to make Gaz smile and never in his life has he ever achieved something so impossible.

When Zik stopped talking to her and started eating again, Gaz continued playing her game with the volume on.

Even if the boys tried to ignore it, the sound from the Game Slave could still be heard. Glancing up, Gaz noticed that Zik was actually listening to her game. So that might mean that she was wrong with her assumptions about him.

Gaz was at the point of the game where the vampire piggy hunter, the main character of the game, was having a stare down with the main baddy, which was a giant bipedal purple floating pig wearing a read jester hat, and red vest with a picture of snout of a pig on the front while it was holding a red staff.

They were currently located in an isolated circular island that was only about a 100 sq meter radius. Narrowing her eyes in determination, Gaz awaited when the fight would begin since the hero and main villain was having their final face down.

"It's over evil flame pig!" The protagonist shouted in a smooth, albeit a little over dramatic way that Gaz had to roll her eyes at. Seriously, what was up with these good guys and their need to sound like they are in a presentation. "I already have captured your allies and you're the only one left standing in the way of me and my princess! We either do this the easy way or the hard way!" The hunter continued as he held up a red bag that had a picture of a pig's snout on the front.

The evil flame pig laughed but no sound came, to Gaz's surprise, as it pointed towards the hunter and the text below the villain said. "Foolish mortal! You may have been lucky in trapping my brothers and sister but that does not mean that I would be as careless and/or easy as them!"

"We shall see about that, foul beast!" The hunter shouted back, and Gaz noticed this time that there was text below him too. Gaz frowned at that, why bother putting subtitles below the screen when she can easily understand the character talking.

She paused as realization hit her. Wait, that was not right... Since when did Vampire Piggy had voice acting in it?

Before the evil pig could talk again, Gaz paused the game and looked up towards where she figured the voice came from. Just as she suspected, Zik was once again looking at her with that lopsided smile of his. She would've punched him right then and there but he had actually piqued her interest so she decided against it.

Gaz sighed as she reluctantly turned her game slave off and focused all of her attention at the annoying person smiling right in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him while his smile widened ever so slightly.

"So, what do you want?" She asked in a monotone voice making Dib wince in how dry it sounded. If it was him, he would've stopped there since he knew he was trudging in dangerous waters.

Unlike Dib, Zik just raised an eyebrow and his ever present smile didn't falter. "Whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently.

Gaz's frown deepened but she quickly recovered by replacing it with a smirk of her own, making Dib's blood run cold. This was getting out of hand. Gaz didn't smile, it was just physically possible. The only times her mouth upturns was when something bad happened to the person she was smiling to.

"Gotta admit though, this is the first time a guy is able to force me to shut my game off without actually trying to piss me off." Gaz said casually. Dib almost sighed in relief but was stopped when Gaz's frown returned with her glare intensifying. "So this better be important on why you disturbed my peace or else there will be blood." She warned without even trying.

Zik just raised his arms in defeat. "Woah there, I'm not here trying to pick a fight or anything. It's just that I really loved playing that game so much that I've memorized the main boss battle script line by line. I'm sorry that I've messed up your concentration." he said with an apologetic look on his face. Gaz tried to see if he was lying but to her amusement he both looked sincere and curious. To her surprise, not a hint of fear was present.

Intriguing.

Gaz glared at him for avoiding her question before she huffed and stood up from her seat and stalked away without even saying goodbye.

Zik stood up too, sadly watching her leave. "Hey, was it something I said?" He asked before he sat down dejectedly. "I don't even know her name yet." He mumbled while taking a spoonful of his meal and eating dejectedly.

While Gaz and Zik talked, Dib was just sitting there quietly while he contemplated at what just happened. Zik, a new _student_ who mispronounces his name on purpose, was able to force Gaz to pause her game just to give him her full attention! Not only that but Gaz actually left without punching him on the face! Did he mention that he was also able to make her smile?!

Impossible! He must have done something to her!

It was then Dib realized that Zik was probably using his mind controlling powers to make Gaz act like a nomral person! That was it!

Zik was more dangerous than he thought. To think he was able to manipulate Gaz that easily without anyone noticing he had done something to her. He wouldn't be careless anymore. He was going to keep a close eye on him.

Dib, who was busy monologuing with himself, failed to notice that Zik already left to catch up to Gaz. Who could blame him though, his foe was more cunning than he initially thought.

o. o. o.

Gaz was walking aimlessly as she remembered what Zik told her earlier.

 _Not to brag but I actually know a lot about the Game Slave 2 and since I am obviously trying to be the nice guy here, I thought that maybe you would like me to_ _take a good look at it and make some adjustments and add some new features for you to enjoy with_ _._

Gaz snorted at that. Even if there was any coherent reason that she would allow him to hold her game, there was no way that he was going to be able to bypass the securities that were installed in it. She remembered that day like it just happened yesterday.

 _What is it that you want Gaz-human?! Zim is busy at the moment and concentration is needed for this plan to BE SUCCESSFULL!_

 _Yeah well, I don't care how busy you are, I just want you to upgrade my game slave so that nobody, besides me of course, can open it again._

 _What?! You are wasting Zim's precious time for something so trivial?!_

 _Please?_

 _Sigh... Fine. If it makes you leave Zim alone then I'll get it done by tomorrow. But, remember that the Almighty Zim will only do this once and never AGAAAAAAAIN!_

 _Yeah, sure. Whatever._

Gaz smirked to herself. Ever since that day, Gaz has been able to manipulate Zim into doing things for her in exchange with some secrets she had on Dib. She remembered the times where she almost laughed when Dib came home and started ranting on how Zim was one step ahead of him.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when someone shouted to her. "Hey! Wait up!" A voice she was beginning to hate called and her smile instantly disappeared.

"Why are you following me?" Gaz asked through gritted teeth. "And if you tell me it's about my game slave then we'll have a problem." She warned.

Zik, to her irritation, just smiled back at her. "You never told me your name." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Gaz blinked blankly at him. It took her more than a few seconds to register what he had said before she growled at him.

"Too bad!" She snapped, clenching her fists and stomping away from him. Can't this guy take a hint?

Instead of leaving her alone, Zik decided to follow her around skool and it didn't take long for the other students to take notice.

"Aww come on!" he whined as he caught up with her. "If you don't tell me your name then maybe I should just create a nickname for you!" He suggested with a smile on his face, as if certain doom wouldn't come his way if he didn't stop.

Gaz stopped and pinched the bridge on her nose. "Zik, tell me, why in the world are you so invested in knowing my name? Can't you just, I don't know, ask other people about my name?!" she hissed to him. She wanted to clench her fists so hard but was afraid that she was going to pierce her skin. Also, she didn't want to reveal to everyone around that her nails were sharper than they look.

"Well, for starters, you are the first girl I met in this skool that didn't fawn over me the moment I talk to them. Secondly, I have this feeling that you and I are going to have a wonderful friendship together!" he said in such a happy tone that Gaz couldn't help but take him seriously.

"You didn't answer my question." she deadpanned. Another thing she learned about the guy was that he was easily distracted.

"Oh!" he smacked his forehead. "That's easy! I like listening to your voice." he beamed at her.

Gaz only blinked at him. Then blinked again. Then again. Until she grew tired at blinking and once again pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Gaz... My name is Gaz..." she sighed in defeat. To think she was bested by an idiot. Well... Not so much of an idiot but idiot nonetheless.

"Gaz..." Zik furrowed his brows, as if testing if the name rolled well with his tongue. He coughed in his hand before focusing back to Gaz "Well... Thank you for telling me, my fair maiden. I wish I can stay and chat with you a little longer but I believe that the skool bell has rang a few moments ago and it's also getting dark." He gestured outside where the sun was still too high to be called 'getting dark'.

Gaz eyed him like he was growing a second head before sighing and started walking to the exit. As she passed Zik though, she stopped. "For the record, if you try to get information from me again without anything in exchange, you're dead. Are we clear?" She said in all seriousness.

Zik chuckled but lacked the humor it usually accompanied. "Crystal. I'll see you later, my fair maiden." He said with a wink.

Gaz snorted before she walked away from him.

Zik stood there by the doors, arms crossed, when Dib approached him.

"Hey Zeke," he said using his real name. "You dropped this." Dib then raised his hand and revealed the id he picked up before.

Zik blinked at the object before he smiled widely and took it from Dib. "Thanks man! I didn't even notice I dropped this!"

"So why do you call yourself Zik anyway?"

Zik shrugged his shoulders before staring back to the direction Gaz went. "My teachers and friends back in middle school used to call me Zik so I was just sort of stuck with it." Zik sighed before walking off to the other direction Gaz went and turned to Dib "Well, it was nice seeing you man. Let's hang out tomorrow, okay?"

Dib just nodded, as his brain was preoccupied by how weird Gaz was acting that day. He also got this feeling that he was being ignored.

* * *

 **AN:** A shorter chapter than last time but I didn't want to add anymore that is not needed. Anyways, enjoy!


	4. Trust

**Disclaimer:** Once again I am obligated to say that I don't own Invader Zim. Being forced actually but we are not allowed to say that out loud.

 **AN:** Me again! Last chapter was posted way too early for my tastes but I didn't have any idea what to add to it so yeah... Enjoy!

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

Well, give Zeke credit for surviving annoying Gaz. Though I'm still trying to figure out what his deal is, but I suppose we'll just wait and see, won't we?  
Aside from that, I also loved Dib monologuing his theories to himself.  
Keep up the good work.  
Zim'sMostLoyalServant signing off.

 **I think all of us have a Zeke in our lives. You know, that person who is so optimistic with life and always have a huge smile on their face.**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Trust** **"**

It was once again a sunny day as people, both young and old, enter the skool to start another day of teaching and learning. Each and everyday, students learn the things the higher year already learned. Each and everyday, friends and enemies encounter each other and do the things they always do, whether it was chatting happily or fighting each other.

Today was different though since there was a new face who started his new school life in this skool. Today, he will officially start his new life and experience everything in a new light. Today, he will make new friends and new enemies. But to be honest, that didn't bother him one bit. In fact, he entered the skool with lopsided smirk, people will eventually learn that it was his signature look, with a skip on his step. If it was anybody else, they would look stupid but for some strange reason only made girls sigh blissfully as he passed them, much to his dismay and amusement.

He wasn't dense, since most of people from his previous school thought he was, so he knew that even here he attracted attention from everyone, mostly girls. The problem was that he could never figure out why they find him so attractive. Maybe it was because he was both friendly and approachable. Yeah, that was probably it.

When he arrived at his homeroom and sat on the chair in front of Dib's, four girls approached him. Two of them looked at him shyly while the other two looked at him in indifference, much to his confusion.

He mentally sighed but smiled politely at them. Just like in his previous school, he would still deal with confessions, to both genders to his dismay. He once again questioned himself why he couldn't get any peace.

"Hey Zeke," One of the girls greeted him in an overly sweet voice which made Zeke grimace. Why did he attract girls like that? Was it too much to ask to attract normal girls once in a while?

He shook his head and focused his attention back to the girls. Each one of them had a unique look to them. The first girl, the one who was talking to him, had light purple spiky hair. She had the air of strictness and authority around her. Her sharp green eyes were trained at him, like she was watching every move he made. She was wearing a black headband that was used to keep her hair in place. She was currently wearing a lavender shirt with a black jacket over it and a lavender skirt with a black belt on her waist. Her color scheme reminded him of a certain purple haired gamer and it made him smile unconsciously, much to the girls' delight. She was crossing her arms as she looked at him expectantly, waiting for his response.

Instead of responding immediately, he decided to look at the other first. With that in mind, he shifted his attention to the girl on the left of the purple haired girl which, by the way, also had purple hair. Zeke was starting to see a pattern here.

Instead of pondering about it, he decided to focus on something more important, like her face. She had a round face with a few freckles on her cheeks. Her eyes, on the other hand, he couldn't quite focus on since she kept on batting her eyelashes at him but he could tell that they were cerulean in color. She was wearing a brown shirt with lavender stripes on it, and a pair of black pants. He had to avert his eyes before he too would start blinking like crazy. He noticed that she was folding her hands in front of her, depicting a picture of innocence. Now that he was done observing her, he focused his eyes to the next person of the group.

The third girl, his left eye twitched but went unnoticed, had dark blue shoulder length hair, had a very pale complexion, black eyeliner that made her face even more paler, dark puprle eye shadow, black pants, and a striped shirt which was shaded in black, purple, and blue. Compared to her other three companions, she was the tallest by a half a foot and she seemed to be more fit than the others, and if he looked closely she was probably almost as tall as he was. She was probably part of the basketball team or something. She was crossing her arms with a stern look on her face. At least she wasn't pretending to be interested in him. Since she wasn't focusing on him, he turned to the last girl of the group.

The fourth and final girl, to Zeke's relief, had a shoulder length _blonde_ hair. She was wearing a shirt that was too short to be allowed at school and a skirt which he also thought was supposed to be banned. Unlike the other girls, she wasn't really looking at him, which was a breath of fresh air in his opinion. From his perspective, he could tell that she was looking at the seat behind him, which belonged to Dib.

Peculiar.

All of them were fairly attractive but Zeke wasn't interested in that kind of relationship yet. He knew that once he entered _that_ , there was no getting out. So he wasn't planning on venturing into that route until later in his life. Well, maybe there was an exception to that rule but...

"So Zik..." The first girl started while she twirled a lock of her hair with a finger, effectively cutting off Zeke from his thoughts. "We didn't get to introduce ourselves yesterday since you were preoccupied with _Dib._ " she said the name with so much distaste that it showed on her face. A moment later, it was gone. "So let me introduce myself." She rested a hand on her heart with a warm smile on her face. "My name is Zita, Zita Collins, the current class president of Ms. Bitters class. On behalf of all of us, I welcome you to our class!" She waved her hand around, gesturing to the entire classroom, which was not that impressing, to him at least.

The other purple haired girl walked forward and bowed a little while giggling at him. "I am Gretchen, the vice president. Please to meet you. I hope we can be friends." When Zeke smiled at her in confirmation, she just giggled once again before batting her eyelashes at him. He mentally scowled at that, it was getting old too quickly. If only it wasn't impolite to smack his forehead in front of them then there would probably be a giant red mark on his forehead.

The blonde girl just turned her gaze at him before nodding once and muttering her name. "Jes." She said in a polite, but not friendly, way.

Zeke decided that he rather liked this girl. She reminded him of Gaz, only she wasn't ignoring him, or constantly frowning at him, or threatening to harm him. Ok, so they didn't have that much in common, not that wasn't a good thing mind you.

Zeke waited for the last girl to say her name but, to his confusion, was still ignoring him. Not wanting to be rude, he turned to her and offered a polite smile. "And who might you be?" He asked politely.

Instead of getting a reply, the girl simply looked at him for a few seconds before snorting and looking away, making him smack himself mentally. They way she acted strongly reminded him of Gaz except she wasn't glaring at him or threatening to beat him up.

Zita clapped her hands, instantly getting everyone's attention. "Well, now that that's over with, I want to talk to you about something that needs to be addressed immediately." All of her previous sweetness was gone and was replaced with seriousness. He was wondering which of the two was the mask and which one was the face behind it. "Like I said, we weren't able to converse with you yesterday because of a certain... boy." She leaned closer and lowered her voice so that only Zeke and the others with her were the only ones could hear. "Want my advice? Stay away from Dib. Trust me on this." She said with finality.

Zeke only raised an eyebrow at that. "And why should I?" He was skeptical, for obvious reasons. Just because she was a girl who looked pretty didn't mean that she could be trusted, no matter how nice or innocent they acted.

Zita snorted as she glanced at door, expecting Dib to suddenly barge in and start spouting about aliens. "Because he's weird. He thinks aliens are real." She supplied, saying those words as if it would convince him.

Zeke's brows leveled as he made his face unreadable. "And what's wrong with that?" He challenged with an even tone, which caused the girls, sans the glaring one, to lean back. When Zita didn't answer him, still surprised at his reaction, Zeke continued. "Just because he believes in something doesn't mean you should berate him about it. If that's how you treat your classmates then I'd rather be a freak too than hang out with you." He said with a glare directed at Zita, who backed up again.

To his surprise, it was Gretchen who spoke up. "We-we're not berating him or anything, if that's what you're thinking..." she stuttered, afraid that Zeke would lash out on her too. "But we think that's he's just hanging out with you because..." she trailed off as he's impassive stare made her uncomfortable.

"Because...?" Zeke urged her. He was getting tired of her stuttering and would rather get to the point.

When she didn't answer, it was the last purple haired girl who continued. "According to them, Dib thinks you're an alien." She droned in an English accent that would have probably made guys fall for her.

"Me? Why? And you still didn't tell me your name." Zeke asked in confusion.

It was Zita who answered this time. "Her name is Kat. What she means is that the only reason why he's talking to you is because he suspects you're an alien. This already happened before, seven years to be exact and I don't a repeat of it because the last one actually ran away from Dib's constant assault on him." Zita warned.

Zeke sighed as he rubbed his temples. "Ok, first off, you're not making any sense. Two, I appreciate your concern but of all the people I've met in this skool Dib, and Gaz to be thorough, are the only ones who I think are sane. Because ever since I've got here, girls have given me googly eyes and guys either glared at me or completely ignore me for whatever reason. So if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if we will never have this discussion ever again." Zeke said as he glared at Zita, who couldn't help but flinch from the intensity of his stare.

"Ok you maggots, settle down!" Ms. Bitters snapped as she entered the room along with the remaining students of her class. Among those students were Dib as he quickly went to his seat before Ms. Bitters got mad at him.

When he passed Zeke's seat, Zeke flashed him a smile which he returned with a halfhearted one. Just because they had a friendly conversation yesterday didn't mean that he trusted him. He was still an alien, and he knew that he was going to do something to their planet. But before that happened, the alien would be exposed. Until then, he would act like they were friends just so he could study him more.

There was nothing wrong in pretending to be friends with an alien, right? All of them were the same in his book. He couldn't trust them, not since what happened the last time he trusted something not from Earth.

Well... Maybe there was an exception to that rule...

"Ok, listen up!" Ms. Bitters barked. "The principal tasked me to let you maggots know that there has been another murder in the city. Good riddance. If it's anything, I'd say that that's good news." She snorted and shook her head as she retrieved a remote controller from under her desk. "I don't know what's the deal with that. The more people die the less mouths that needed to be fed." She grinned, showing her sharp teeth, as the students looked at each other worriedly.

This was the third murder this month. Families were already weary of each other even before the incidents, now they were just avoiding each other like they knew who did it. The fact that there were no leads as to who was the murderer on was only making things worse.

Ms. Bitters pressed a button and a futuristic looking television descended from a hole inside the ceiling, which Dib could've sworn wasn't there before. Dib was about to question where the tv came from when it turned on. On the screen was a bored looking news reporter who looked like he'd rather be somewhere else at the moment than doing his job. He was currently situated on what looked like an alley with police crowding the area.

"Good morning City of N—" but he was cut off when someone was talking on the microphone on his ear. "Yes yes, I know..." the reported sighed as he once again focused on the camera with an irritated look on his face. "My boss said to the cut to the chase so let's get this over with, shall we" He then turned from the camera and approached a policeman. "Excuse me officer but can you please tell us what happened here?"

The police officer nodded before taking a notepad from his pocket. "Yes well, according to this paper I'm currently holding, there seemed to be a murder that occurred here. It also said that the time of death was by Sunday night. According to the report, three men, age ranged from 18 to 21, were found dead with their throats slit. Each of them have four horizontal gashes from the bottom of the chin to the middle of their throats. The wounds were not that thick but they were very deep. It's already confirmed that those wounds were the cause of their deaths." The police officer scratched his head as he read the next entries. "The weirdest part is that we first thought it was done by a wild animal but there were no prints anywhere to be found. The only thing we can do now is give out a warning to everyone about a killer on the loose. As we investigated, we have come to realize that these murders are almost identical to the previous ones. The first victim was businessman who was visiting from out of town and witnesses say that they last saw him walking down the street towards the city. The next victim was a local thug here. There were no witnesses since the murder was committed in the middle of the night, same to this one."

The police officer looked directly at the camera and frowned. "This is a warning to everyone. Please be on a lookout for any suspicious behavior or individuals. It is strongly suggested that when you are traveling at night or at less-frequented areas, at least bring someone with you. This is not a drill. This person has already committed 5 murders. Please stay safe."

The reporter thanked the police officer before turning back to the camera with more alert and fear than before. "There you have it folks. Remember what he said, always be with someone during the night and make sure not to go through dark alleys."

Before the reporter could talk with another officer, Ms. Bitters turned the tv off and pressed another button on the remote control to make it ascend back to the ceiling.

"Now that that's done with. Let's continue with our topic yesterday about the doom that will happen to this dreadful planet!" She shouted in her shrill voice.

Dib frowned at the information he learned. He glared at Zeke's back as he drew to a conclusion. It was obvious that no human being could do that kind of wound. Wild animals were also out of the question since the city always apprehended them before they could cause any trouble and either took them back to the wild or killed on the spot.

It was obvious that it was done by an alien. It was just that quite simple.

According to the report, the incident happened during the weekend. The weekend that Zeke has arrived in their planet.

Dib's glare intensified as he clutched the edge of his table. This wasn't just a mere coincidence. Zeke... No... The alien arrived at about a month ago, studying and trying to find the Earth's inhabitants' weak spots, hence the murders.

This alien was more dangerous than he thought. To think he already made his first human kill a month ago without anyone the wiser about it's identity.

Who was to say he wouldn't do it tonight? What if his next target would be one of his classmates?

Dib decided that he would follow Zeke tonight. He would not let something like that happen again, not as long as he was around.

His mind then flashed back to the report and he unconsciously covered his neck with his hand. He was thinking of wearing some protection in case things get ugly between them.

Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Dib glared at the back of Zeke's neck, determined to be able to stop him.

No, he was going to be careful. He would stick to the shadows and keep himself hidden until he was sure it was safe enough to reveal himself. Or if worse comes to worst then blood would be spilled.

He just hoped it wouldn't be his.

* * *

 **AN:** Well, this has gotten interesting, hasn't it?


	5. Friendship

**Disclaimer:** This message is brought to you by yours truly. He is here to state that this story is not owned by him. Bow.

 **AN:** Things are starting to get serious, aren't they? I pity Zik and his attraction to certain girls. He only has eyes for a certain gamer but said gamer tends to be annoyed by his antics. What's a guy go to do?

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

Interesting twist. Can't wait to see where you go with this, though I'm pretty convinced at this point that Dib's entirely wrong. We'll just have to wait and see.  
Also, liking Zik's interactions with the girls, especially his comment about all the girls in the school with purple hair.  
Keep up the good work.  
Zim'sMostLoyalServant signing off.

 **Dib has a reason for doubting him though. In the previous chapter, there were hints stating that Dib used to be very trusting to other people but something happened that made him what he is now. Zik has now deduced that he mostly attracts weird girls. He doesn't know why, but he has come to accept that.**

Guest

Can you please explained what happened to Zim? I really want to know.

 **Well, if I told you now then that also means that I'm going to spoil some parts of the story. So we'll just have to wait and see :D**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Friendship** **"**

Another day wasted sitting on this classroom while pretending to listen to this pathetic excuse for a human. This was Gaz's thoughts as Mr. Elliot happily explained the facts of life to his class. She didn't know why she even bothered in going to skool when the only thing she got from it is a headache. Most of the time, Gaz usually zoned out and pretends that she was inside a cage filled with rabid bears while she smiled wickedly at them. That always brought a smile to her face, inwardly at least since she refused to show emotion and showing emotion means weakness.

Some other times, she went down memory lane. These thoughts usually brought out mix feelings in her. Feelings that she rather forgot about.

 _Gaz-human?! What are you doing in Zim's base?! More importantly, how did you get inside?!_

 _Through the front door._

 _WHAT?! That's impossible! YOU LIE! Zim made sure that the door does not open unless Zim wishes to!_

 _Sure, whatever Zim. I don't care what you think, all I want is for you to fix my Game Slave._

 _GAH! Computer!_

 _Yes, master?_

 _Explain to Zim how the Gaz-human infiltrated the base!_

 _I let her in._

 _What?! Who gave you the authorization to do that?! I demand an explanation!_

 _Uhh you did. Remember? The 'Gaz-human' threatened you she will mutilate you when you try to keep her out of the base, remember?_

 _O-oh yes! Yes! Zim remembers! Zim was just trying to test you if you were still correctly functioning! We-well done, Computer!_

 _That's what I thought. Now about my Game Slave..._

That made Gaz feel both happy and sad at the same time. She was happy that she once had a friend, then it made her sad thinking that she'll never have a friend like him ever again. But she knew that he was more than a friend, she made sure of that.

Gaz continued to ignore Mr. Elliot as he showed some kind of video to the other students as she peered outside the window. If there was one thing classes were good at, it was that the annoying black haired, muscled idiot was not there to pester her. Sure she tolerated him since he was not like the other hormone-filled idiots flirting with her but he was still an idiot. She dreaded the fact that she just knew that Zik was going to cling to her like he did yesterday. With annoyance like him, who needed enemies right?

She once again sighed as she finally turned to the front of the class as Mr. Elliot used the remote controller in his hand to make the tv raise back up the ceiling. Maybe she'll skip class after lunch just to clear her mind. That usually worked.

* * *

 _ **With Dib**_

Dib was pretending to write something on his paper as he kept glancing at Zeke's back. He decided that he will start calling him by his given name since his nickname only brought back bad memories.

He decided that he was going to follow Zeke after skool. He figured that Zeke was probably going to go to the scene of the crime to see if he left any evidence that will point back to him. Dib smirked at that, thinking that Zeke was very predictable. This time... This time he was going to expose the alien before it's too late.

Screams of pain and agony filled his head. He could still remember all the people he passed through the streets that night.

 _Please! Help me!_

 _St-stay away from me, you monster!_

 _HE-HELP!_

 _Please... end my life... the pain is too unbearable._

Dib shook his head as he fought the tears back. No, things would be different this time! He was not going to sit by and let that happen again!

* * *

 _ **After Skool**_

It was the end of the day again. Lunch was uneventful since Zeke was surprisingly quiet and decided to skip it altogether. Even though Dib only knew him for at least a day and half, he was already aware that Zeke was the type of guy who usually spoke what he thought. This only solidified Dib's theory that Zeke was worried about the crime scene.

Gaz was also absent during lunch but Dib already knew that she probably skipped skool again. He wasn't particularly worried, although he was disappointed with her, since she was smart enough to pass her class even when she skipped some of them.

Like yesterday, Zeke left skool first and so Dib followed him through the streets. It was already dark when Zeke arrived at the alley the murders occurred since all of his classes ends at 5:30. As he entered the alley, Dib braced himself as he followed him inside. To his surprise, Zeke was nowhere to be found. He tried to look for him but the shadows casted by the moonlight obscured his view. When he was about to try and run to the other side, thinking that Zeke ran towards there, a voice was heard. Behind him.

"Looking for me?"

Dib turned around to see Zeke leaning against the shadowed portion of the wall with his arms crossed. Dib was only slightly able to make out the outline of his face but he realized that Zeke had an unreadable expression.

When Dib didn't reply Zeke sighed as he pushed himself away from the wall and gave Dib a sideways glance, "What are you doing here Dib?"

When Dib heard his name, he shook his head as he snapped out from his surprise, he glared at Zeke, "Isn't it obvious? I'm here to expose you for the alien that you are!" he pointed accusingly.

Zeke sighed once again while fully turning to Dib, face still devoid from emotion, "I guess the rumors were true..."

Dib's face contorted in confusion, "Rumors? Rumors about what?"

"About your obsession with aliens. They said that you're crazy and it's all in your head."

"I-I'm not obsessed!" Dib retorted in denial, "Aliens are real! I'm looking at one right now!"

Zeke's face became sympathetic, "I never said that I believed everything they said. Also Dib, I'm not an alien"

Dib gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as his eyes narrowed further, "Yes you are! The evidence is bright as day! You are here because you were afraid that you left something from the murder that might jeopardize your cover, and so you plan on removing all the evidence that points to your existence!"

Zeke finally glared at him. "Dib, listen to me. Do you actually believe everything you just said? If I was an alien then why would I risk exposing myself right now? In fact, if I was the killer then why would I actually leave the corpses here in the first place? Wouldn't it be more sensible to hide the bodies instead of leaving them in the open?"

Dib already knew the answers but refused to acknowledge it. Instead of answering Zeke, he decided to asks his own questions.

"Well what are you doing here then? If you weren't involved in all of this then why did you come here in the first place?!"

Zeke didn't answer him, instead he walked back to the wall he was leaning on. He then pointed to the scratch marks on it.

"See these?" When Dib nodded he continued, "I knew that something was wrong when the news was shown to us this morning. The police never tries to search for clues outside of the crime scene. Since there was no blood on the surrounding areas-"

"Then they didn't look at the walls to see if there are any clues." Dib continued, already at the same conclusion Zeke was already at.

Zeke nodded as he touched the scratch marks. "Right. So my theory is that these marks here are the same with the marks on the victims' necks." He once again sighed as he walked next to Dib and stood infront of him. "The problem is that even with the scratch marks on the walls, we still can't figure out who or what done it."

Dib looked down in frustration. Everything Zeke said added up and he agreed with all of them. But the problem then was that he was going to also admit to himself that Zeke was not responsible for the murders.

With an indignant sigh, Dib looked back up at Zeke, "You're probably right. And since we're the only ones that are actually aware of this evidence I guess we should..." he grumbled, not wanting to say the next few words.

"Yes...?" Zeke urged, now his ever present lopsided smile on his face again.

"We should..."

"Go on..."

"Work together" Dib grunted in defeat.

"A wise decision, my friend!" Zeke laughed as he slung an arm around Dib's shoulder. "With the both of us working on this case, no one will be able to stop us! Whether they are human or not!" he boomed.

Dib couldn't help but smile a little.

"Still" Dib said after a while, "I still firmly believe that you are an alien and I will expose you to the world" he challenged but with a smile on his face.

Zeke grinned back. "Whatever you say, my friend. Whatever you say..."

Dib sighed as he shrugged off Zeke's arm. "Come on, let's continue searching. We might find something useful here."

After searching for about an thirty minutes, both teens noticed that aside from the scratch marks, there are no other indications about an attack that occurred there. Calling it a day, they decided that they would continue their search the next day.

* * *

 _ **With Zeke**_

On his way home, Zeke decided that he should pass another dark alley, probably hoping to stumble upon something of interest. When he was about to enter one, it was only his luck to find Gaz of all people leaning against a wall with some guy he had never seen before. The guy had his palm against the wall, pinning Gaz in between.

Zeke scowled at the sight. He was about to announce his presence when he noticed the particular spark in Gaz's eyes. Normally, that kind of spark meant that the owner of those eyes was enjoying themselves. That they were having a good time. But on Gaz, that spark told of a different story. It told of pain and destruction on the person it's focused on.

And he was right, the moment the guy was about to touch Gaz's face, the girl suddenly lashed her hand out and gripped the guy on the throat. Zeke saw something shiny on the Gaz's hand and decided to take a closer look. To his surprise, it was Gaz's nails. Then his eyes widened when he pieced together what he saw on the previous alley and what he was currently seeing now. Before he knew it, he was already unconsciously walking towards Gaz.

You could just imagine the surprise in Gaz's eyes when she realized that she and her victim were not alone as she watched Zeke, of all the annoying idiots she would see that night, walk casually towards them.

"Hey" he said casually as usual. "Didn't expect to see you here"

Gaz just raised an eyebrow at his choice of words. Gaz's victim on the other hand, looked at Zeke like he was his savior.

"Ple-please help! This girl is crazy!" He tried to remove Gaz's hand but she surprisingly had a very strong grip. "Sh-she's going to ki-kill me!"

Zeke just shrugged, not even looking at the other guy, as he grinned at Gaz, "Never would have thought that you were the type to get your hands dirty."

Gaz put a hand on her hip, her grip on her victim's neck tightening. "And what do you mean by that?"

Zeke just shrugged again as he regarded the other guy, "I imagined that you were the type of making others do the work for you."

Gaz tapped her chin with her nail, metallic nail now that he was next to her, and hummed. "You know, that is very intriguing." Gaz shifter her focus to him once again and smiled at him, "You may not be so stupid after all."

Zeke looked offended at her, "Hey! Just because I'm always smiling doesn't mean that I don't know how to kill a person or two!"

Gaz smirked at his expression before turning back to the person she was currently holding with an unreadable face. "You do realize that if I ever get caught, which is highly unlikely, that you are going down with me, right?" Gaz gave Zeke a sideways glance, studying his reaction.

Zeke just showed her his signature lopsided smile before answering, "Why of course! A gentleman will gladly take the blame for his fair maiden."

Gaz rolled her eyes as she turned back to her victim, who looked very pale as he accepted his fate.

"Whatever" Gaz muttered before she squeezed her hand and the light in the guy's eyes left as he breathed his final breath.

Zeke suddenly slung an arm around her shoulders, she merely raised an eyebrow, and smiled down at her.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that this is going to be a start of a beautiful relationship."

Gaz snorted but didn't remove his arm, "In your dreams, idiot."

On the otherside of town, more specifically the Membrane household, there was a lone figure on top of the roof of the neighboring house. The figure was currently staring at Dib as casually walked back to the house until he went inside and locked the door behind him. The figure stood there for a little more while until it was satisfied and left with no one the wiser.

* * *

 **AN:** Well well well, looks like there is more to Zeke than we thought... And who is this mysterious lone figure... Now I'm intrigued. Enjoy!


	6. Competition

**Disclaimer:** Have you guys noticed that I don't own Invader Zim? Really? I thought I was the only one.

 **AN:** Things are starting to get serious, aren't they? I pity Zik and his attraction to certain girls. He only has eyes for a certain gamer but said gamer tends to be annoyed by his antics. What's a guy go to do?

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

Oh, duh. I completely failed to connect what Gaz did in chapter 2 to those murders. Should have realized that. Anyway, interesting development with Zeke going along with it.  
Also, liking the hints towards whatever happened in the past, and interested in finding out who that figure is.  
Keep up the good work.

 **Yeah, like I told the other person, I didn't want to spoil what happened in the past. That's why I've been adding them as a sort of flashbacks to give some clues.**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Competition** **"**

It took about thirty minutes for Gaz to clean herself. She never realized how much blood was on her until Zik pointed it out. After exiting the alley, making sure there were no evidence pointing to her, she turned to Zik with a stern expression and crossed arms.

"So" Gaz started as she caught Zik's attention. "Care to explain yourself?"

"Explain what?" Zik scratched his head in confusion.

Gaz eyes narrowed further. "A few actually. First, why didn't you tell on me? I know that you saw me about to kill him before you approached me so tell me why"

Zik merely shrugged as they started walking to no direction in particular. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea. When I entered the alley, I saw you leaning against the wall with that guy hovering over you. At first I thought he was harassing you but then you suddenly got him on the throat." he then turned to her with a grin. "I'm actually glad I entered that alley, now that I think about it."

Gaz ignored his last remark and nodded. "That's another thing, why did you pass there? Was there any particular reason you entered through that alley specifically?"

Zik raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Didn't you watch the news this morning when the teacher showed it in skool?"

Gaz shook her head and grinned at him. "I actually wasn't paying attention at class this morning"

Zik laughed and shook his head in amusement. "About that, I wasn't really trying to enter any specific alleys. It just so happened that it was the one near my house and I thought I could pass it for a shortcut. Also the news, it was about the _activities_ you've done on the weekend. You know, those three guys you've had _fun_ with?" he smiled cheekily at her.

Gaz just blinked in surprised at what he said. Then she turned her head and frowned. "Huh... Looks like I should've paid more attention then."

Zik nodded sagely. "Yes you should have. Now, your next question?"

Gaz nodded but didn't turn to him. "Yes, why me?"

Zik raised an eyebrow. "Why you what?"

Gaz then peered at him with a look of confusion evident on her face. "Why are you so interested in me? What makes me so special to get your attention? You're even keeping a secret for me even when you get nothing from it?"

Zik laughed as they rounded a corner. When she glared at him, he just laughed even more. "Ahh my fair maiden," he started as he wiped invisible tears from his eye. "I already told you before, remember?"

Gaz shrugged her shoulders. "I wasn't really paying attention to what you were saying. Can you remind me?" She reassured him that she wasn't serious by the spark in her eye and the smile on her face.

Zik mock-sighed and held a hand on his heart. "You wound me, Gaz. I poured my heart and soul in telling you my feelings! How can you be so cruel?" If Zik was anything, he was very good at being dramatic. Gaz couldn't help but laugh a little. What was this idiot doing to her? Gaz _never_ laughed at someone's joke. Ever.

"What the hell are you talking about? You didn't 'pour your heart out' or 'tell me your feelings'. You just told me that I was the first girl you met that saw you for the idiot that you are."

Zik ignored her remark and instead continued talking. "Regardless of what you think, I really do think that you are one-of-a-kind. People might find you intimidating, but to me, you are someone to admire." He's smile turned affectionate and Gaz had to fight off a blush but was unsuccessful. "You know, I bet that nobody has ever told you how cute you are."

Gaz was about to retort when Zik suddenly stopped and she looked at him in confusion. Instead of looking back at her, he dug through his pocket and took out his phone to look at the screen. After looking at the time, he then turned to Gaz and gave her a smile. "It's getting kinda late, how about I take you home?"

Gaz snorted but accepted his offer anyway. "I can take care of myself."

Zik just continued to smile at her. "I know that. I just want to spend more time with you, you know?"

Gaz frowned and looked away from him.

Zik sighed, grabbing her shoulder, and then turned her to him. They were now standing on the front of the park and Zik motioned her to sit with him on the swing.

Gaz just raised an eyebrow before sighing and following him, sitting on the swing next to the one he was using.

Both of them sat there in comfortable silence just feeling the wind pass them for a few minutes when Zik broke it when he cleared his throat and looked at her.

"Gaz, I know you are going to think that this is corny but please hear me out." Zik took in a deep breath and then smiled softly at Gaz. "I know that I just met you yesterday and I also know that you think of me some kind of idiot who only thinks with his, excuse my language, with his ass and not his brain," Gaz couldn't help but crack a smile at that comment. "but you somehow make me feel like a real person. In my previous schools, everyone just thinks of me as someone who was either smart, athletic, or handsome. Nobody, and I mean nobody, every sees me as me. You know, the guy that tries his best to make someone laugh. The guy that will do anything to get to know this girl's name." Zik shook his head in annoyance. "I'm getting off topic... What I mean is that, Gaz, I like you... a lot. I don't know how this happened but I am thankful for it. Never in my life will I ever be able to find a girl just like you again because you, Gaz, are one of a kind. Will you ever find it in your heart to accept my proposal to go on a date with you?"

Gaz was speechless. Sure, she expected Zik to confess to her one of these days, she realized that it was in his nature to be so clingy to the people he liked, but never in her mind did she expect him to be this serious. Gaz had to look away or she would get lost in his deep, dark, inquisitive eyes.

Zik was patient though, he waited as Gaz tried to compose herself. He could see the conflict in her eyes, how her unease was showing to him. Zik knew that Gaz would normally hide this because it was a sign of weakness. He knew that showing emotion was a sign of weakness but he couldn't stop himself anymore.

It was a few minutes later when Gaz looked back at him with conflicting emotions inside her eyes.

"I-I can't." She whispered.

Zik sighed as he bowed his head in sadness. "I understand. You don't feel the same way that I do."

"That's not it."

Zik raised his head in surprise, a brow rising.

"It's just that I already like someone else..."

"Oh... Is it Dib?"

Gaz's eyes widened and choked. "D-Dib?! Why on earth would you think it's him?!"

Zik's other brow rose as well "Why not? You two seem close. I mean, from my understanding, you two are the only one that sit next to each other during lunch."

Gaz suddenly laughed, loudly in fact. Only this idiot would be able to make her laugh like this. But remembering what they were previously talking about made her frown once again.

"Let's get this straight. Dib is my brother and never in the whole entire universe will I ever feel anything about him." Zik was about to exclaim when Gaz raised her hand for him to stop. "I'm not done." She took a deep breath before looking down on her hands. "Before I tell you the name of the person I have feelings for, I'm going to clear something with you first because I know you're going to bring it up later."

Zik just nodded so that he won't interrupt her.

"The reason why I didn't let you touch my Game Slave and update it is because someone else has already tinkered with it. This person was the only one who knew the programming and I'm afraid that if someone tried to decode it then it might cause my game to get corrupted."

Zik frowned and looked at Gaz's eyes. "You said 'This person was', did something happen to him?"

Gaz's gaze shifted to the side and Zik could see her eyes watering for a little bit before it disappeared. She closed her eyes as memories flashed before her.

 _G-Gaz! Stay calm! I'll get you out of there! Don't worry, I'm here!_

 _Zim?! What are you doing?! They'll kill you!_

 _Rather be Zim than you!_

"Yeah. Three years ago he died in an... accident."

"Was it a quick death?" Zik asked her when she stopped talking.

 _ZIM!_

 _It's too late Gaz!_

 _We can still save him!_

 _No, we can't! If we go down there we'll get killed! We have to leave! NOW!_

 _NO! Zim!_

"It was. Me and Dib were there so we could confirm it."

Zik nodded in understanding. "So this person..."

"Is the guy you are competing for my affection? Yep. He was actually pretty weird back in the day. He and Dib were sort of rivals." Gaz laughed a little at the memory. "He also used to talk in third person when he boasts, which I actually found amusing."

Zik sighed as he looked away from her. "You know, it's going to be hard trying to compete with someone who's already dead."

To someone else, that comment would've been an insult. Gaz, on the other hand, found it funny.

"Well, good luck with that. I'll be rooting for you."

Zik gave her a sideways glance with a smirk on his face. "I'll hold you on to that." Zik then stood up and offered his hand to her. "Come on, let's take you home. Now that I know that Dib is your brother, my life has gotten a little bit more complicated."

Without any second thoughts, Gaz took his hand and he pulled her up. They smiled at each other for a few more seconds before they started walking away from the park.

If one looked closely though, they would see that the two teenagers were still holding hands.

It took about fifteen minutes for the two of them to reach Gaz's home. They continued walking until they've reached the front door. Zik turned to her with a smile while raising the hand he was holding to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "Well, my lady, I guess this is where we part ways."

Gaz just rolled her eyes at his display of chivalry but she was smiling nonetheless. "I guess so. See you tomorrow, lover boy." She opened the door but before she got in, she stood on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek.

Zik's eyes widened at the sudden warmness on his cheek but before he could react, Gaz had already closed the door in front of his face. He shook his head before a wide grin broke his face and he walked past the front yard back to the streets.

Bright red eyes were staring at Zeke from the rooftop on the opposite side of the road. This was the same figure that was following Dib. After it left, it spotted the two teens and started following them too. But unlike before, this figure could clearly be seen if one looked closely enough. The figure stood for about six feet tall and was fairly built with broad shoulders. It was wearing a black full body armor which where one looked would immediately notice how advance it made it look. The armor was skin tight which made it even more built. If the figure wanted, he could stick to the shadows and no one would be able to find him. This time though, it didn't care as it kept its gaze on the retreating form of Zeke.

If one listened closely and was standing next to the figure, they could probably hear the sounds coming out from it's helmet.

 _Bzzt... one-of-a-kind...bzzt...someone to admire...bzzt...I like you...bzzt...accident...bzzt...already dead...bzzt...take you home..._

The figure's red eyes brightened for a little bit before it once again merged itself on the shadows, disappearing completely.

* * *

 _ **Morning after**_

"Well hello there, my fair maiden! Is it just me or is the sun shining brighter today? It must have realized how down you are so it is trying to brighten your day!"

Gaz sighed as the unmistakable voice of Zeke was heard behind her. She just entered skool and she could already feel a headache coming. "Morning Zik. No, I haven't noticed and I prefer to keep it that way"

Zik just shrugged and walked beside her. Gaz glanced at him and saw his ever present smirk on his face. She didn't know whether she should be happy or pissed at him. On one hand, she might cut him some slack since she did technically kissed him on the cheek. Then again, that might be the reason why his head was swollen and would probably brag to the first person he was going to speak with. Probably her brother.

"So Gaz..." Zik started as he turned her. "Did this guy ever tell you how beautiful you are when you are scowling?"

Gaz blinked up at him, not sure if he was serious or not. One look on his face confirmed it. Of course he was. "Are we seriously doing this now? With all these people around us?" Gaz snorted at that.

Zik's grin turned smug. "Of course! I need everyone to know that I'm yours!"

Gaz gave him an incredulous look and snorted. "Ok, first of all, we are not dating, yet. Second of all, you're mine? Since when?"

In one swift motion, too fast for Gaz to react to, Zik took her hand and kissed her knuckles. This action caused the every people in the hallway to pause what they were doing as they looked at Zik in surprise. Before long, they started murmuring at each other.

"Well, my fair maiden, didn't you tell me last night that you'll be supporting me on my endeavor?"

Gaz didn't reply, instead, she lashed out at him, and only just missed hitting him on the face. Instead of screaming in fear, Zik had the audacity to laugh. "I guess you are mad at me?" He asked in mock innocence before he took off in a run.

Gaz grinded her and clenched her fists before she took off after the laughing Zik "COME BACK HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!"

* * *

 **AN:** Ahh Zeke... You know Gaz loves you and you are taking advantage of it.


	7. Secrets

**Disclaimer:** According to my research, Invader Zim does not belong to me.

 **AN:** Another chapter for you guys! Things are starting slow but I hope that someday people will discover my story and give me their feedback! Here's to hoping!

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

In a weird way, this was pretty touching. And the end was hilarious.  
More seriously, can't wait to see just what the deal is with this mystery figure.  
Keep up the good work.

 **This figure will play a big role in this story of mine, obviously. Also thanks for the encouragement.**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Secrets** **"**

Ever since he started going skool, Dib knew that his life would never be normal. Even before meeting the alien invader this was already a fact. Other kids made fun of him for his big head. He was bullied since he was different. He never had a father figure to look up to since his was always busy with work.

Dib never had friends. Well, he did actually, but those friends were only there _before_ they knew about his hobbies and beliefs. As a kid, Dib was already fascinated with the mysteries the world had to offer. He believed in spirits roaming the earth, he believed that there are monsters lurking in the night, and most of all, he believed that one day aliens would come down to earth and try to take over. When he shared these beliefs to his so-called friends, they just laughed at him and then spread them to the other kids, resulting in him becoming the laughing stock for the whole year.

You might think that that incident would've made Dib hide those beliefs but it didn't. It only made his resolve that much stronger. That incident made him believe that he was the only one on earth capable of protecting it since the others were turning a blind eye on what was important.

Then came his saving grace in the form of a small green alien. It was like a dream come true for him. Not only was this alien's disguise so obvious. It was also tripping over itself in trying to blend in. It was like it was trying to get itself caught. Dib took the opportunity to call out this alien's true colors but, to his dismay, the other kids shrugged his claim off and called him crazy again. He insisted but it only made the others insult him again. Calling him names, threatening him to be sent to the 'crazy house', and worst of all defending the alien.

Dib swore on that day that he would do whatever it took to expose this alien scum even if it was the last thing he did.

It was only four years later when he got his wish, not only was he able to expose the alien but he also was able to get rid of it. The sad thing was that the price that came with it wasn't worth the risk. Because of his selfishness, people died. Families lost their loved ones. Children lost their parents. Parents lost their children.

All for the sake of the whole humanity. He felt sick with himself. He let his pride get to him.

There wasn't a day where he didn't think what would've happened if he just let things go. If he didn't step in?

All those thoughts were stopped when a black haired teenage male run past him as if the devil himself was chasing after him. It was a close second though.

"WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'LL WISH THAT YOU NEVER ENROLLED IN THIS SCHOOL!" Gaz screamed in bloody murder as she tried to get to him but he was just too fast for her.

"I said I was sorry! It was just force of habit!" Zeke retorted back but more with fear than panic.

"I'LL SHOW YOU FORCE!" Gaz lunged at Zeke but he was just fast enough to jump away. He then ran in the direction towards the front gates, Gaz on his trail.

All of that happened in the span of five seconds, and Dib still didn't know what happened. He blinked before he looked back to where the only people he hanged out with ran off to.

Just then, his phone vibrated and he fished it out of his pocket then read the message.

 _Meet me at the usual, after class._

Ok, so maybe Dib did had someone else to hang out with aside from his sister and Zeke. But this person is more like an acquaintance or confidant rather than a friend. Dib replied with 'Got it' before returning his phone back to his pocket and proceeded to go to class.

Dib realized that something might have happened to Zeke since he was absent the whole morning. Gaz had probably caught up to him and punished him for... something that he did that got him the wrath of Gaz Membrane.

Dib shivered at that thought. He suddenly felt sorry for the new guy. His thoughts were interrupted when the final bell for the morning class rang throughout the skool.

As per the message said, Dib went to the rooftop to see the person who sent the text to him.

"So," person began. "I've been to the alley last night and I've discovered something that you might be interested in."

Dib raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? I've actually been there last night too. So what have you discovered?"

The person narrowed their eyes. "This was no alien attack."

Dib frowned at that. "Do you have any proof?" Dib glared at them. "I've seen the evidence. Those marks on the wall-"

"Are made by a human being." they finished.

Dib's eyes narrowed deeper. "Do you have any proof?"

They nodded their head and took a photograph from their pocket. "The marks on the wall could have only been done by scraping on it. I've tried digging my nails on some carton and made almost the same results". They then took another photograph from their pocket, this time of a carton box with markings on it and gave it Dib. Dib analyzed the two pictures together and scowled at how almost identical the two were.

"This still doesn't prove anything! An alien could've used some kind of device that replicates the human's fingers, or they could've just pulled a finger from another person and used it as some kind of distraction or-"

"Or they could be disguising as a human? Was that going to be your next guess?" They asked mockingly. "Cause I'm pretty sure who you are talking about."

Dib snorted as he looked away from them. "He's dead and you know it."

"But do you?" they countered but DIb didn't have an answer to that. "We both know the only reason why you still think aliens are going to attack this planet is because you haven't moved on."

Dib growled as he glared back to them. "Can we focus on what's important right now? There are people killed out there and all you care about is my miserable life!"

They sighed. "Fine, but we are going to talk about this. Believe me or not but I do care about you, more than you will know."

Dib snorted and shrugged them off. "Whatever. Anyways, I wasn't the only one who went back to the crime scene last night." Dib turned around so they wouldn't be able to see his face. "Zeke was also there."

"Zeke? The new kid?" they asked in surprise. "What was he doing there?"

"Same thing as us. He believed that the police weren't looking hard enough so he decided to do some investigations himself." Dib smiled ruefully. "He was actually the one who pointed out the wall markings to me. If he wasn't there then I probably would have been able to find it."

They narrowed their eyes as they contemplated what Dib said. "Wait, I went there at midnight and you probably went there after class, did he get here before you?"

Dib looked at them in confusion as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah... I mean, I was just initially following him since I obviously know that he's an ali-" Dib cut himself off as he realized what he was about to say. "Wait, back up, are you actually trying to tell me that Zeke was the one who planted that evidence?"

Something clicked in Dib's head. Dib didn't notice it yesterday, but now he wondered how fast Zeke found the clue. No matter how good of a detective you are, you can't find a clue that easily without any basis.

"I see you've also reached the same conclusion as I have." They continued as they saw the recognition in Dib's eyes.

Dib refused to acknowledge what they said and just frowned deeper. He didn't know why but there was something inside him telling him to defend the alien.

"We can't know for sure." Dib said after a while. "I may think that he's an alien but I refuse to believe that he has killed anyone."

They sighed as they started walking back to the door that leads to the skool hallways. They stopped beside Dib and rested a hand on shoulder. "Whether he did it or not Dib, you must always remember that just because you trust someone doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful around them."

As the door closed behind him, Dib had a look of confusion on his face. He didn't know what to believe anymore.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile with Gaz and Zeke**_

"I said I'm sorry!" Zeke shouted down at Gaz as he had death grip on the on the trunk of the tree he was on. "I don't get why you're so angry right now! I mean, I did it before and you were okay with it!"

Their chase actually brought them back to the park where they hung out yesterday. It was a good thing that it was still in the morning so no one else was in the park except for the two of them.

Gaz gritted her teeth as she tried to fight off blush that she felt seeping to her face. "Well duh!" she said as she put her hands on her hips. "Obviously I didn't care back then! Now get down here before I get you down here myself!" Gaz was actually quite amazed at how fast Zeke was able to climb up the tree, despite the fact that he was a huge guy.

That made Zeke do a double take and made him look at her in confusion. "So are you saying that now you do?"

"No!" Gaz said too quickly.

Zeke smiled down at her and decided that the pain was worth the risk. When he got down, he was pleasantly surprised that she didn't hurt him yet. The only thing she did was cross her arms and looked up at him, expectantly.

Now, Gaz was not particularly a short girl. In fact, she was one of the tallest, she was actually as tall as Kat if they stood to next other. Imagine how insecure the boys in Gaz's class were when they realized that Gaz was taller than most, if not all of them.

Next to Zeke though, she was an inch shorter, and he was reveling in it.

Zeke crossed his arms as his signature lopsided smirk appeared on his face while Gaz frowned at this. She hated how smug he looked.

"So..." Zeke drawled.

Gaz growled as Zeke continued to taunt her. "Don't make me punch you..."

Zeke's smile turned into a grin as he grabbed her hand and pulled her walking back to the direction where skool was. "So no touching in skool?"

"No" Gaz answered curtly as she allowed Zeke to lead her back. "I'll only allow physical contact if it's only the two of us, got it?"

"Mhmm..." He hummed as he suddenly turned around and went the other way, away from skool.

Gaz raised an eyebrow but continued to be dragged. "Where are we going?"

Zeke looked back at her with a smile. "Somewhere we can have fun."

"And where is that actually?" Gaz then smiled dangerously at him. "Unless you plan on taking me somewhere you can take advantage of me..."

Zeke laughed and squeezed Gaz's hand for reassurance. "We both know that if I did that then nobody will be able to find my body later."

Gaz snorted. "True, but you still didn't answer my question."

Zeke just waved a finger at her. "Ah, ah, ah... It's a surprise."

It was only a few minutes later where Zeke stopped in front of some sort of place where the front of it was a huge billboard that displayed some porcelain on a table with a hammer coming down on it. There was a huge window with more porcelain on display with price tags on them.

"Frustration Station: Where you can break all kinds of things, for a price." Gaz read out loud. She then turned to Zeke with a savage grin on her face. "You know, I underestimated you. Who would've thought that a guy like you would bring a girl like me to a nice place like this."

Zeke just shrugged. "What can I say, I guess it was just a lucky guess." He then opened the door and then motioned for Gaz to enter. "After you, my fair maiden."

Gaz just rolled her eyes before she entered. Zeke just shook his head and laughed, closing the door behind him.

And people thought that Gaz was a bad influence.

* * *

 **AN:** Poor Zeke... Everyone is trying to put the blame on him... As always


	8. Regrets

**Disclaimer:** Something in me is forcing me to tell you guys that I don't own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** Hi! Uhmm... That is all, actually...

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Regrets** **"**

Gaz and Zeke both exited the 'Frustation Station' with Zeke having a huge smile on his face and Gaz in indifference, not a sight you would normally see. Although, when one was able to see another person's aura, then Gaz's aura was probably as bright as Zeke's. Like yesterday, Zeke was once again holding Gaz's hand, fingers entangled, as he talked animatedly to her.

"I still can't believe we got away with what we've destroyed in there!" Zeke laughed as he looked at Gaz in glee. "I mean, seriously, that window was _definitely_ not part of the things we are allowed to break!"

Gaz turned to him and smirked. "That's goes to show that no one messes with me."

Zeke nodded his head and raised their entangled hands to kiss Gaz's knuckles. "That, we can both agree on. You are rather intimidating, my fair maiden."

Gaz frowned at that, and turned her head away from him. "Why do you do that?" she muttered so that only Zeke could hear her, despite the fact that they were alone walking through the streets at night. Zeke and Gaz spent the whole day in the store, breaking everything they could get their hands on, even the owner's own stuff.

Zeke's smiling face was suddenly replaced with a confused one. "Do what?" he asked innocently.

Gaz then raised their interconnected hands. "This." She waved them in front of his face for emphasis. "People are going to gossip about... whatever _this_ is." She tried fighting the blush off and looked away from him so that she won't be distracted. Normally, Gaz could care less about what people talking behind her back. In fact, in the past, the students were spreading rumors about her and Dib being in an intimate relationship since they were the only ones who cared about each other. Gaz resisted the urge to roll her eyes at that rumor. Since when did she show that she _cared_ for her sorry excuse for a brother?

"Also, I think we are moving too fast. It's obvious that you want to be with me, and I also, kinda, sorta, maybe want to be with you too, but I think it's best if we take things slow." She sighed before looking back at him, to gauge his reaction. She mentally frowned at that. Why was she worried how he'll react? Didn't she want him to leave her alone? Wasn't this what she wanted? "How about you though, do you think we're moving a little bit too fast?" She asked softly, afraid that her voice would sound harsh if she asked it louder.

They stopped at the middle of the street when Zeke turned to her with an impassive face, making her hold her breath. She still didn't understand why she was acting like this. She was not like any other girls who would cower down in fear when faced with something unfamiliar to them. Gaz would face those with vigor! But... why was she acting like that now? Why did she want him to fight against everything she just said?

Zeke just smiled reassuringly at her as if telling her there was nothing to worry about, making Gaz sigh unconsciously in relief, as he bent himself lower so that they were eye to eye. He untwined his hands from hers, and then raised both of hands to cup her blushing cheeks which were probably as red as the ones on his face. She leaned on one of his hands and held it with her smaller one, making his eyes spark. He didn't even hesitate when he answered her question.

"Gaz, I don't care how long I have to wait just for you to accept me. As long as I get to spend my time with you, it's enough for me." He began stroking his thumb across her bottom lip as he continued. "You don't know how happy I am right now. How this," He gestured to their intimate position, Gaz unconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck. "Is making me feel warm inside. As I said yesterday, you make me complete."

But then he removed his hands from her cheeks and let them fall to his side, also making her remove her arms around his neck. He sighed and looked down sadly. "But if you want me to go away, then I'll do my best to let this go." He looked up at her, his face full of sadness. "and let's forget that this has ever happened between us. I won't bother you, and I'll even try to stay out of your sight in Skool. Is that what you want? If it does and only say the word and I promise you that I'll leave you alone."

Gaz's eyes widened as the implication sank in. He was actually willing to sacrifice his happiness for her sake. All he cared about, as Gaz finally realized, was how she felt. She remembered how he made her chase him all over skool for the sake of seeing a rise from her. After that, he even brought her to a place where she knew that she can let herself go. Gaz had made her decision. She was not running away anymore. She needed to let go of the past and the only way for that to happen is to accept what she was feeling now.

Gaz knew what to do. She still didn't understand how a guy she just met a few days ago could make her act like one of those ditzy girls who go around giggling at what the boys say. She didn't know why she wanted to wipe that frown on his face and replace it with his ever present smile but she knew that whatever he wanted from her, she wanted it too.

At that, Gaz strengthened her resolve and narrowed her eyes at him.

Zeke raised a brow at the look of determination on her face and was about to question it when she cut him off.

"No." she curtly said.

Zeke blinked before responding with, "I beg your pardon."

Gaz narrowed her eyes more. "I said, no. Which means that you are going to stay by my said for as long as I want, got it? I don't care whether you get uncomfortable, or worried, or even scared at me but you are not staying away from me, got that? Because when you try and dare to stay away from me, I promise you that I will hunt you down."

With any other guy, that would've scared the living daylights out of them. With any other guy, that threat would have made them run away in fear from her. But to Zeke, the message was clear, she wanted him as much as he wanted her, in her own, threatening way of course. Zeke didn't care though as a huge toothy smile appeared on his face. Zeke was not like any other guy.

Without any warning, Zeke wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground, twirling her around, while he laughed gleefully.

Gaz couldn't help but blush at what he was doing. She was actually reconsidering what she said earlier when a smile also appeared on her face. Now that she wasn't repressing her feelings anymore, Gaz was genuinely happy. Not like the happiness she got playing her games, but a different kind of happiness. The one where she didn't want to disappear. The one where she would treasure.

Just for a second, Gaz finally found someone to cherish, and she felt contented.

If only for a second. "Let me down you idiot before I strangle you!" Gaz growled as she tried to pry Zeke's arms apart from her.

Zeke immediately let her down but his smile never left his face. He once again cupped her cheeks before he pecked her on the lips.

Gaz frowned at the show of affection but didn't pull away from him. She was going to let him have his moment.

Zeke sighed blissfully as he brushed his thumbs across her cheeks. "Thank you, Gaz. You don't know how much this means to me."

Gaz scoffed as she pried herself from his grasp. "Please, you're making me sick. I need to go home, it's getting late." Gaz started walking away, not even waiting for him to walk with her.

Zeke just grinned as he walked beside her and took her hand once again. "Come on, I'll take you home. I won't be you get home safely and the only way for me to make sure that happens is if I'm taking you."

Gaz snorted but squeezed his hand in reassurance. "Of course you would."

* * *

 _ **With Dib**_

Dib was worried sick as he once again watched the time on the clock. It was now almost ten in the evening and still no sign of Gaz.

Did something happen to her? Was she alright?

Questions were running through his mind as his imagination got worse every minute that passed by. What if the missing killer saw her and managed dragged in the alley? What if he was able to gag her and tie her up and rendered her helpless? What if-

His thoughts were cut off as he heard laughter from the outside of the house. He peaked through the curtain and he saw none other than Gaz and Zeke walking down the front yard towards the door. Zeke was the source of the laughter as he continued to talk to Gaz, who had a look of indifference on her face. What immediately brought Dib's attention was their intertwined hands. His eyes widened at the implication of the action. Then he frowned when he remembered his little meeting earlier.

 _Whether he did it or not Dib, you must always remember that just because you trust someone doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful around them._

Dib narrowed his eyes as he went to the front door and opened it. Gaz and Zeke stopped walking when they saw Dib standing in their way with a frown on his face.

Zeke leaned down on Gaz's ear and whispered. "What's he doing?"

Gaz just raised an eyebrow and said "I don't know."

Dib's frowned deepened when they continued whispering to each other. "Zeke, step away from my sister."

Zeke just scratched his head in confusion "I'll what now?"

"You heard me. I don't know what you did but I'm not gonna stand for it."

Gaz sighed as she rested a hand on her forehead, she could already feel the headache coming. "What is it now, Dib?"

Dib then looked at his sister and tried to find something that was wrong with her. "Gaz, be careful around him. He's not what he's saying he is!" Dib pointed at him dramatically.

Zeke snickered and once again whispering to Gaz's ear, completely ignoring Dib's warnings. "That was a mouthful"

Gaz elbowed him on the ribs. "Shush, be quiet. This is getting interesting. Just play along." she whispered before looking back at Dib with a look of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Dib sighed as he tried to brace himself for her reaction of his reveal of Zeke's identity. "Gaz, he's an alien."

Silence filled the room after that reveal and was only broken after Gaz smacked a hand on her forehead. "Are we _really_ discussing this right now?" she muttered tiredly rubbing at her face. Of course Dib, of all people, would accuse Zeke of something as absurd as that. Even if if he was an alien, Gaz couldn't care less. The last guy she had feelings for was an alien for Hell's sake.

Gaz refused to continue to that train of thought. She was too good in a mood to be dealing with her brother's theories and all she wanted was to spend some quality time with her not-boyfriend.

"Listen Dib, as much as I want to listen to your reasons on why you think he's an alien, we're kind of busy at the moment"

Dib frowned once again while he gave the two of them a contemplative look "Busy? Busy with what?" He then crossed his arms and spread his legs so that his whole body was blocking the way inside the house. "Tell me or you will have to go through me."

It was only a second too late that he realized that what he was doing was a very bad idea. He forgot about Gaz's temper, again.

To his surprise, and ever growing fear, Gaz smiled sweetly at him. "Sure, if you really want to know what we did then I don't see the problem why we shouldn't." She cleared her throat and then looked at him seriously. "We actually went to a place that let us rent a room where we could _relieve ourselves._ Zeke and I were actually quite tired, not to mention sweaty, from our _little activity_ and we thought that we should do it again sometime. It was exhilarating, to say the least."

Now, Dib was not the kind of person to think if those kind of things. He was a man of science! But, he was also a hormone-filled teenager, who never had any experience when it came to women. So you really couldn't fault him for thinking that his sister and Zeke had a heated moment together, alone.

While he was distracted, Gaz pushed him aside and pulled Zeke with her. She then pulled him up the stairs towards her room where they could hang out while Dib was being an idiot.

It was only an hour later when Dib finally came back to his senses and he rushed to his room and hid under the blankets, trying to remove the images flashing through his mind.

* * *

 **AN:** Congratulations Zeke... You have finally got together with Gaz, sorta... Maybe... It actually depends on her mood.


	9. Deception

**Disclaimer:** Psst... Psssst. You. Yes you. Did you know that Azukka does not own Invader Zim?

 **AN:** I always forget how nice it is to write again. I would also like to thank TheForgottenKnightmare for following my story.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Deception** **"**

It was past midnight when Zeke finally left the Membrane house as Gaz went to sleep. Now that he knew who the 'killer' was, he wasn't afraid to walk outside the streets in the middle of the night. Of course, there were still risks in running into thieves but he was not defenseless.

Imagine his luck when he ran into someone in an alley just a few blocks from his house. He couldn't clearly see them because they were situated near the shadows so he decided to get a closer look.

When he saw what the person looked like, he couldn't help but groan. "Ugh... What's with me and purple haired girls?! Like seriously, you are probably the fourth girl I've seen this week with purple hair! Is there some kind of trend going on that I didn't know about?!" Zeke ranted as he ran a hand over his face in frustration.

The girl chuckled and stepped out from the shadows. "I do believe that we already have met each other. I think it was yesterday."

Zeke squinted as he tried to remember her. Something clicked in him when he saw the familiar shade of black, purple, and blue on her shirt. "Wait, your Kat, right?" He asked, unsure if he said her name correctly.

Kat just smiled as she slowly approached Zeke. "Correct. Now, I must say I'm curious though. You don't seem surprised to see me. Also, it's funny to have run into you in this alley. Was it mere coincidence?" Her eyes narrowed as a frown formed on her face. "Or were you expecting someone else?"

Zeke blinked at her, confusion clear on his face. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Kat bared her teeth at him. "Don't play dumb with me. I know what you did, you may have fooled Dib but you won't fool me."

Zeke slapped a hand on his forehead and wiped it down over his face in aggravation. "Not again. You know, I'm getting sick and tire of people of accusing me of something I'm not. I will admit that at first I thought it was funny but now, it's getting kind of old." He sighed as he walked forward, only to be blocked by Kat. Zeke glared tiredly at her. "Look, as much as like staying here and chat with you, it's a school night and I need to sleep so that I can _at least_ be able to attend class tomorrow."

When Zeke tried to walk past Kat, she would just block his way. Zeke narrowed his eyes at her. "Kat, don't force my hand."

Kat snorted as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Or you'll do what?" She taunted. "You know Zeke, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean you can underestimate me."

Zeke grinned in return, which made her raise an eyebrow. "The same could be said about me." Zeke took a deep breath and shouted, in a scandalized, feminine kind of way. "HELP! PLEASE HELP ME! SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO RAPE ME!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, doing his best imitations of a girl squealing. The sad part was that he was very convincing.

One by one, lights turned on inside the houses nearby. Kat's eyes widened in alarm as she looked frantically around to see if someone is approaching them. When she looked back to where Zeke was standing, he was already gone. She spotted him running down the street and was gonna follow him when she heard someone from a window shouting towards her. Cursing, she decided to leave Zeke alone for the night. But she'd got to admit that he was clever, very clever. It looked like that she was going to have to be very careful around him.

* * *

 _With Zeke_

Zeke ran all the way home and stopped just at his doorstep, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Zeke was now questioning everything that was holy on his luck regarding girls. Of course, Gaz was an angel sent by God. Although, it depended on which God he meant since Gaz was obviously not the 'Nice'. She would also probably take that as a compliment.

Zeke unlocked the door and went inside, hoping to get some sleep before something else distracted him.

"How was school today, honey?" A voice from another room said.

Zeke sighed as he removed his buttoned shirt. "It was fine, mom. A little bit crazy, but manageable."

"Oh good. Now, even if you say that it's 'crazy' I still want you to be at your best behavior, got that? "

"Yes mom." Zeke yawned as he went to his room and dropped to his bed. He was already asleep before his head could hit the pillow.

* * *

 _The next day_

Gaz and Dib were walking through the streets to get to Skool. Dib already had his driver's license but he was trying to save gas so he and Gaz usually walked to Skool twice a week. Dib was still uncomfortable about last night. He realized that morning that Gaz was probably just joking and nothing really happened between her and Zeke. At least, that was what he hoped. He still didn't understand what Zeke found in Gaz. Not that he was trying to insult his sister or anything but even he himself couldn't find anything good pr endearing about her.

Looking at her from the corner of his eye, Dib studied her features. Against popular belief, Dib knew how attractive his sister is. He saw the looks the boys from Skool was always giving her when she passed by and there was nothing else Dib would like than to wipe those smiles from their perverted faces. But that wasn't on Dib's mind right now. Dib saw something that he thought he could never see in his sister's face.

Confusion.

Was that even possible? How can a person as composed, and calculated as Gaz be confused? When Gaz had a problem, no matter how big or small, she would either fix it by solving it logically, or beating the living daylights out of it. Gaz always favored the latter for obvious reasons.

If anyone else looked at her right then, they probably couldn't see it. They could only probably see the slight frown on her face as she concentrated on her game. That was actually the problem right there. Gaz Membrane never frowned when it came to her games. She usually had a look of indifference on her face that made her look like she was bored.

"U-uhmm Gaz..." Dib gulped as he crossed dangerous waters. Usually, Dib would leave her to her own devices but he was her brother. To Dib, sibling concern came before fear any day. "I-Is something troubling you?"

Gaz just raised an eyebrow at him. "What's with the concern? Since when did you care about what I feel?" Gaz was actually curious on that too. She then remembered their conversation last night and she smirked at him. "Wait, don't tell me that you're concern about me and Zeke?"

Dib sputtered as he tried to compose himself while Gaz snickered at his reaction. If there was one thing Gaz wouldn't trade in the world, it would be her ability to make Dib's life miserable.

"O-of course not!" Dib responded, face contorted in disgust. He coughed in his hand to compose himself. "It's just that I've noticed that you've been distracted lately."

Gaz frowned at that. She looked away from him and continued with her game. "That's none of your concern."

"Is it about Zeke?"

Gaz growled as she turned off her game slave. She then glared at Dib, which made him step back in impulse.

"What's with you and Zeke anyway?!" Gaz snapped. "And another thing, why do you insist that he's an alien?!"

Dib glared back at her, forgetting the fact that he should be afraid of her. "Because he is! Don't you see a pattern here? He moved into the city without any signs or warnings, on the next day a murder took place, and most of all his name rhymes with-"

Dib never got to finish since Gaz grabbed him by the hem of his coat and pulled him close.

"How many times would I have to tell you that Zim is already dead?" She whispered. "Don't you get it? Zeke is not Zim. Zeke doesn't even remotely resemble Zim in any way. Why can't you get it through your thick head?" By this point, Gaz didn't even know if she was convincing Dib, or herself.

"B-But Gaz-"

"Whatever Dib, I'm going ahead." Gaz pushed him off before walking faster.

Dib was about to call her but decided not to. He sighed as he slowly trudged his way to Skool.

Was Gaz right? Was he really just paranoid?

Dib knew that it was deeper than that. He actually realized it two years ago. It wasn't that he was afraid of an incoming invasion. No, the real reason was that his life felt empty. Ever since Zim's death, his life became empty and lonely. He had now devoted his life to prepare for an invasion that was never coming. In short, he was miserable without his nemesis.

* * *

Gaz was walking through the hallway when someone blocked her way. She sighed when she saw who it was. She recognized this girl as one of Dib's classmates, which meant that she was either there to complain something about what Dib has done, or she was there for her.

"What?" she asked curtly, not in the mood talking to anybody.

The girl smiled sweetly at her, which Gaz found disgusting, and started talking in a way that irritated her. "Hi! My name is Zita! Don't you recognize me?"

Gaz just stared at her indifferently. "No."

Zita's smile twitched. "U-Uhmm... I'm in your brother's class." She urged.

Gaz yawned in front of her face. "Nope, doesn't ring a bell."

Zita's smile became forced as she gritted her teeth. "We've been going to the same Skool for twelve years."

Gaz just raised an eyebrow at her. "Your point is?"

Zita's smile disappeared altogether and was replaced with a frown as she glared at Gaz. "You think you're so clever, aren't you? You think you can get away with anything just because the boys like you, don't you?"

"I still don't see why you're talking to me right now." Gaz was getting irritated with this girl. She was going to be late, and she didn't want Mr. Elliot to call the class' attention to her.

Zita, who ignored her or didn't hear her, continued her rant. "You think you're better than everyone! Better than me!"

Gaz just groaned as the Skool bell ringed. Great, she was late. She wanted to go to class but the insufferable girl was still nagging at her.

"Well you're not! Do you know what you are?" Zita smiled cruelly at Gaz, her face red from shouting too much. "You're a fake! A sham! A-A freak! Just like your alien obsessed brother! That's what!"

After all that, Gaz just looked at her like she was being lectured about the history of rock. "Why are you doing this again? I can't seem to recall you telling me." Gaz droned. "By the way, thanks for getting the both of us late for class, it really means a lot to me." The sarcasm was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

Zita gritted her teeth and clenched her fists in anger. How can this _freak_ talk to her like that? Had she no shame? She had no right!

Before she could voice out her thoughts, an arm draped over her shoulders. Her eyes widened and the look of amusement on Gaz's face made her uneasy.

"Hey ladies, shouldn't you two be in your class by now? You know, since the Skool bell rang a few minutes ago?" A smooth voice that Zita easily recognized said to her right. She turned her head and was greeted with the smiling face of none other than Zeke Mathews himself.

"Z-Z-Z-Zeke!" Zita squeaked as she tried to squirm her way out of Zeke's hold on her. "W-We were just going to class, right Gaz?!"

Zeke turned his attention to Gaz with a raised eyebrow, smile still present.

Gaz just shrugged her shoulders at the question. "Meh. I'll probably skip first period since I'm already late. Wanna come with?" Gaz asked Zeke.

Zeke let go of Zita's shoulder and grabbed Gaz's hand as they walked together on the hall.

Zeke looked back at Zita and winked. "See you next period Zit! Tell Ms. Bitters I got caught up with something!"

Zita looked like she was going to argue but instead she bit her lip and ran away, tears pooling from her eyes.

Gaz looked back at her retreating form before a smirk formed on her lips. She looked up at Zeke and mocked pouted. "Aw, look what you did. You made her cry."

Zeke snorted as he also looked back at the running girl. "Yeah, sure. At least I saved her from the world of pain you were going to inflict on her."

Gaz just huffed. "She deserves it anyway. She dared to compare me to Dib. I mean, how low can you get?"

Zeke just shook his head and laughed.

It wasn't until third period did Zeke and Gaz attend their respective classes. And from that point on, it was going to be a routine for the both of them.

* * *

 **AN:** Talk about girl problems. Zeke just can't take a break, can he? Oh well, at least Gaz is there to make everything better! Or worse, depending on how you see it.

Also, Dib has issues. You might want someone have a look on that.


	10. Forgiveness

**Disclaimer:** It never occurred to me that I should probably not write here that I don't own Invader Zim... Oops, too late...

 **AN:** You know, I would greatly appreciate it if you guys leave a review. I always like reading the feedback of my readers.

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

Hmm, so is Kat Dib's partner? And what is up with Zita? Looking forward to getting those questions answered.  
Also, interesting look into Dib's mind. Him dealing with those issues will also be interesting, I think.  
Keep up the good work.

Zim'sMostLoyalServant signing off.

 **All will be answered in due time... Probably on the next chapter. As for Dib though, I already have something planned for him.**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Forgiveness** **"**

"Ok, what did you do this time?" Dib asked Zeke as he entered the classroom just before the start of fourth period, just before lunch where they'll once again sit at their table with Gaz.

Zeke just raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know what you're talking about. And before you ask, I was with Gaz, no, we didn't do anything that is illegal, maybe, and yes, I made sure she went to her class too." Zeke glanced at the front door to check if their teacher has already arrived before looking back at Dib with a smile. "So, what were we talking about again?"

Dib looked at Zeke in surprise, not knowing how to react to what he just said. Zeke correctly guessed everything he was going to ask. If he didn't already suspect Zeke as an alien then he would've probably thought that he was a time traveler, or something similar like that.

Instead of voicing his thoughts, Dib decided to go back to his original question. "I'm talking about her." Dib nodded his head towards their class president, the spiky, purple haired girl. "When she came in late this morning, she practically shoved a 'crazy card' to my face, saying that I was acting crazy again and I should feel bad." Dib frowned at that. "I'll have her know that acting crazy is serious business. Just because I tend to act crazy at random times, doesn't mean that there are no factors involved! Also, I shouldn't feel bad about being right!" Dib lectured.

Zeke sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't there until the very end but I think it has something to do with Ms. class president here insulting Gaz." Zeke tapped a finger on his chin, trying to remember the exact words Gaz used. "Ahh, I remember now! Gaz didn't like how Zita compared her to you."

Dib raised an eyebrow. "Compared me to Gaz? Compared for what?"

Zeke chuckled as he leaned forward to whisper to Dib. "For being a freak."

Dib's other brow rose and looked at Zita incredulously. "She called Gaz what?!" Dib already felt sorry for Zita's fate.

Zeke waved his hand as if to say it was nothing. "Don't worry about it, I think Gaz was just insulted that she was compared to you."

"Hey!" Dib crossed his arms in irritation, clearly offended of being called a freak behind his back. He'd rather be called that upfront.

Zeke then looked back at Zita in slight worry. "But there is something that's been bothering me though."

"What's that?"

Zeke sighed again before looking back at the door. "Well, when me and Gaz left, Zita actually ran, and I'm pretty sure that she was crying. And before you ask, Gaz didn't do anything to her."

"Nothing?"

"Yep"

"Are you sure that Gaz didn't give her a stink eye, gave her death threats, or whispered to her about something like she'll visit her nightmares to torture her?" Dib was giving him a haunted look. If there was one thing that Gaz was good at, it was getting her revenge on whoever irritated her.

Zeke shook his head and laughed nervously, also arriving at the same conclusion as Dib. "None of those at all. Which brings me to the point that she either already has planned something to do to Zita, or she's still plotting one. I actually prefer if its the former because the longer she plans the worse it gets."

Dib could only nod, actually feeling sorry for Zita at that moment.

Since Dib was looking at Zita, he didn't notice Zeke's mischievous grin. This morning's incident made him forgot about last night's encounter with a certain purple haired girl in a certain alley that was not Gaz. When Dib looked back, Zeke's grin was already replaced with his usual smirk. "So Dib, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend."

Dib could only blink in confusion at Zeke's change of subject. "Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend."

Before Zeke could argue, the teacher finally arrived. Zeke looked back at Dib before he told him that they would talk about it later.

* * *

Gaz was playing on the lunch table, as usual, when someone approached her. She looked up, expecting Zeke to once again annoy her with his pleasantries, but was slightly surprised to see Zita smiling down at her. This time though, she was accompanied by her three friends, if you could call them that, Gretchen, Jes and Kat.

"Hello again Gaz." Zita greeted sweetly.

Gaz raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you want? As you can see, I'm fairly busy." She said curtly. Why were people suddenly talking to her?

Zita's sweet smile remained on her face. "Oh we won't be long. We're just here for a simple favor."

Gaz snorted as she went back to her game. "Sorry but I don't do favors."

"Oh but you will." Zita's smile was replaced with an evil grin. "You see, you don't have any choice."

"Whatever it is, I don't care." Gaz automatically answered.

"Are you sure?" Zita mock asked while looking through her phone. "It would be a shame if you have to quit Skool after everyone sees this."

Zita then shoved her phone towards Gaz's face so that she would see the picture there.

The picture was of her smoking in a back alley with her leaning against the wall with a guy pinning her. She was smiling with her hand on his collar. It was clearly obvious that the guy was probably on his twenties since he was wearing a business suit, and his hair was combed.

Gaz recognized him immediately. He was the same guy that she killed when Zeke found out about her secret. It was the night that changed her life, for better or for worse, she didn't know. All she knew that from that day forward, nothing will be the same.

Gaz was brought back from her thoughts when Zita started talking again. God, this girl really loved listening to herself, didn't she?

"Imagine what everyone will think of you when they realize that you are actually a prostitute?" Zita laughed, although she was the only one that was laughing at her which Gaz found intriguing.

To Zita's annoyance, Gaz just shrugged her shoulders and pushed the phone away from her face. "Getting worried about useless stuff like this is a waste of my effort. Why don't you show that to Dib, I bet that you will get a better reaction from him." Gaz droned, now focusing back to her game.

Zita growled as her grip to her phone tightened. _What was it going to take to get a reaction_ – any reaction – out of her?!

Zita's eyes lightened up when she remembered what happened that morning.

"What about Zeke? How do you think he would feel if he saw this? Would he still follow you around like you're someone special or would finally see that there are other people better than you?"

Ahh, so that was what she was going on about. She was jealous of her and Zeke's _relationship_. Gaz had to mentally laugh at that. This sorry excuse for a girl didn't even know how petty she looked right now. Gaz decided to play along.

Gaz gritted her teeth and looked up at Zita. Damn, she was good.

Zita, thinking that she finally got a rise from the usually stoic girl, smiled smugly.

"Well, well, well... And here I thought that you didn't care for anything." Zita sat across Gaz with a satisfied smile on her face. "So, are you ready to listen?"

Gaz tsked before looking away from her. "Sure, whatever."

"Ok, first, I want you to apologize to me."

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Apologize? For what?"

Zita frowned at her. "For this morning. You know, when you mocked my by holding hands with Zeke right in front of my face?"

Gaz wanted to roll her eyes so bad but she was still pretending. "Fine... I'm sorry for mocking you in front of Zeke. I hope you can forgive me." She droned. If she was going to pretend to be at her mercy then she might as well try to be civil about it. Probably.

Zita smiled. "Thank you." She then frowned and looked at Gaz seriously. "Now, my second favor is for you to break up with Zeke and stay away from him."

"Done."

Zita, along with her friends sans Kat, had to do a double take.

"Done?" Zita asked in disbelief. "Just like that?"

Gaz shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? It's not like we had anything special going on between us or something like that. I was just using him as my plaything anyways."

It was the truth, mostly. Gaz still wasn't sure what they were. Were they a couple? Or were they just friends? She mentally noted to ask that to Zeke the next time they meet.

While Gaz was pondering this, Zita was practically fuming in rage. This girl- No, this slut, was disgusting! Zeke was practically throwing himself to her and all she could think of him was her plaything! How dare she?!

Zita had to pinched her leg just to avoid strangling the girl in front of her. Oh how she hated that look of indifference on her face.

"Hey guys!" a rather jovial voice called from behind the group sounded, prompting everyone around the table to look towards the source. Standing there was Zeke, who was smiling, and Dib, who looked nervously towards each person, as both teens were carrying their lunch with them.

Zita looked back at Gaz with her pleasant smile again. "Remember what I said, ok? Bye!" She got up and walked away, pausing to bid goodbye to the two boys. The other girls followed suit.

After the girls leave, Gaz finally massaged her temples. Those idiots finally left her alone and now she was able to play her game again.

Too bad her peace didn't last that long.

"Gaz, what were they talking about?" Dib demanded. "Did they hurt you? Did they do something to you? Tell me."

Gaz just smacked her head on the table in frustration. When will everyone leave her alone?

Zeke resisted the urge to laugh as Gaz continued to massage her temples as Dib bombarded her with questions. As he sat next to Gaz, she leaned towards him and whispered. "We need to talk, after Skool."

Zeke blinked at that but decided to go along with it. From the look on her face, this should be an interesting talk.

* * *

 _In a hidden laboratory somewhere_

"Let me go!" Ms. Bitters hissed as she pounded her fists in some sort of bubble prison she was trapped in. "Do you know who I am?!"

Ms. Bitters was captured last night while she was lurking through the shadows in Skool. When she was in the hallway, a strange figure in black appeared out of nowhere and subdued her, knocking her out with some kind of gas. When she woke up, she was already trapped inside the bubble prison.

"You are Bitters. First name: unknown. Age: unknown. Occupation: teacher. Address: unknown." A female voice listed from somewhere Bitters couldn't pinpoint to.

"Show yourselves! Release me at once or you'll all be doomed!" she continued to hiss.

"Negative." The voice said curtly. "We are in need of you since you are the only one who is compatible with our latest experiment. We shall run tests on you to test if there are going to be any side effects and try to fix them to test them again."

"What tests?!" Bitters demanded still not phased.

"The tests will be based on your strength, agility, flexibility, stamina, and instincts." The voice droned once again. Seemingly not concern with the pounding the teacher was doing to her prison. "You should be honored that you were picked as our main test subject. The last one was a failure but this time would be different."

It was then did Ms. Bitters showed fear in her eyes. There was no way for her to escape.

Oh well, she just hoped that whatever happened to her, would also happen to every human on earth.

Be careful what you wish for...

* * *

 **AN:** Ahh Gaz and her mind games... Did I mention that she and Zeke are currently my favorite characters in this story? Not just because most of the chapters now are revolving around them or anything. I just love them for their personalities. Zeke with his easygoing attitude towards life, and his unbiased opinion about everything. And then there's Gaz. I just love her sarcasm and how she makes it easy irritating people left and right.


	11. Infatuation

**Disclaimer:** Recent reports show that Invader Zim is not, I repeat is NOT, owned by Azukka. That is all...

 **AN:** You know, I would've loved to see the cartoon be continued.

 **Review:**

Zim'sMostLoyalServant

Ah, so that's Zita's problem. Well, can't wait to see what Gaz does to her in retaliation.  
And interesting development at the end there. Cannot wait to see what they're up to there.  
Keep up the good work.

Zim'sMostLoyalServant signing off.

 **Hey, you can't really blame a girl for crushing on a guy who is obviously liking someone else.**

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Infatuation** **"**

Zeke just raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know what you're talking about. And before you ask, I was with Gaz, no, we didn't do anything that is illegal, maybe, and yes, I made sure she went to her class too." Zeke glanced at the front door to check if their teacher has already arrived before looking back at Dib with a smile. "So, what were we talking about again?"

"Just look at her, acting as if Zeke is not even there." Zita growled as she chewed, staring across the room towards the table where Zeke and weird kids were eating on. The girls were currently watching Zeke trying to coax Gaz into talking with him and just as usual she ignored him. "What does he see in her anyway?" Zita continued to grumble, her friends giving her worried looks.

"But Zita," Gretchen started, probably the only one there who thought what Zita did was wrong. "If you already know he likes her then why are you still after him?" Gretchen was a hopeless romantic and idolized Dib, although she kept the latter a secret from her so-called friends.

"Why are you so dead set on getting him anyways? There are, like, cuter boys in skool that are flocking around your feet every hallway you passed." Jes said curtly, eyes glued to her phone. "And isn't it supposed to be the boy chasing you and not the other way around?"

Zita sighed. "We've been over this. I don't know why but I seem to be drawn to him. It's true that there are cuter boys but I just can't seem to find a guy better than him. You get what I mean?"

Jes and Gretchen shook their heads. Zita groaned before glancing at Kat, who failed to notice Zita looking at her since she was still looking at the other table.

"Kat? Kat, are you even listening to what I said?" Zita demanded. Zita was actually quite curious with the blue haired girl. Unlike her other friends, she couldn't read her.

Gretchen was the easiest one to read, she was like an open book to her. Her huge crush for Dib was a dead giveaway, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. She actually pitied the girl. It must have been pretty hard having a crush on a lunatic. What made it worse was that even though she tried talking to Dib, the boy would pretty much ignore her, unintentionally at least. Even now, as Zita looked at her, she was stealing glances at Dib while her face was flushed.

Then there was Jes. She and Zita had friends for who knew how long. To funny thing is, Zita doesn't trust her. Sure, they act like they're best friends but deep down both of them knew that any day one of them would stab the other on the back. That was the nature of being popular, it was either be cool or be ridiculed. Jes was also the kind of girl who had a new boyfriend every week, ranging from punks to jocks.

Finally there was Kat. She was... well... Zita didn't know whether she could call Kat her friend or not. Kat was just sort of... there, actually. She didn't flirt with anyone, boy or girl, she kept her opinions mostly to herself, or talk that much actually, and she was the only one who didn't show any sign of interest towards Zeke. Kat was a mystery to her. If Kat wanted to, she could be the most popular girl in skool, not that Zita would ever admit it. She was tall, athletic, not to mention beautiful. She was almost perfect in every way, except for one thing. When it came to her personality, she was almost as bad as that Gaz Membrane. The only difference they had was that Gaz was more vocal. Zita would've befriended Gaz if she wasn't Dib's sister.

Kat looked back at Zita, shrugged, and turned her head back towards Zeke's table.

Zita grumbled before going back to her meal. She was already pissed with a certain purple haired girl, and she wasn't planning on adding another one to the list.

* * *

Zita was busily stuffing her books into her locker when she heard voices from behind her.

"Come on Gaz, why won't you talk to me anymore? I said I was sorry." Zeke whined as he trailed behind Gaz.

Gaz sighed as she looked back at Zeke in irritation. "I already told you that nothing's wrong."

"Then why won't you talk to me?"

Gaz stopped and then turned towards her locker, unlocking it. It was only after she replaced her books did she turn back to Zeke. "Look, just because we spent a little bit of time together doesn't mean that I like you around."

"But-"

"And another thing," Gaz cut him off. "I would appreciate it if you stopped following me around." She glared at him and Zeke stepped back in fear. "I'm beginning to lose my patience with you so don't test me."

Without another word, Gaz walked away, leaving behind a distraught man who looked like he lost someone important to him. Zeke raised his arm and was about to all out Gaz's name but decided to lower it instead. Zeke looked back to where Gaz went off to before leaning on the lockers and sliding down to the floor in a miserable heap.

Zita was immediately by his side, also sitting on the floor. "Hey, what happened? Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

Zeke smiled at her, but she could easily see that he was just forcing it. "I'm fine." Zeke smile disappear and was replaced by a sad one. "I just-nothing. See you in class, Ms. President." Zeke said before standing up and walking back to their class.

Zita stood up as well and called his name. When Zeke looked back she gave him a sympathetic smile. "Whatever happens, remember that I'll always be here for you."

Zeke stared at her for a second before a sad smile broke through his face and he nodded.

Zita smiled back before jogging next to Zeke and they walked back together to class.

This was the perfect opportunity for her. Not only did Gaz actually followed her instructions, but she also made it look like Zeke would have no chance with her. Zeke was going to be hers, even if it meant that she had to take advantage of his current emotional state.

Unbeknownst the them, Gaz was leaning against the lockers on the corner of another hallway, listening to their conversation. She peaked when she realized that they were already leaving and narrowed her eyes at them. She stood there for a few more seconds before standing up straight and walked in the opposite direction, face unreadable.

* * *

For the rest of the day, Dib couldn't help but feel he had missed something very important. For starters, he just witnessed Zita entering the classroom with Zeke. Normally, this wouldn't be something he should be surprised about but the fact that Zeke had a solemn look on his face made him thought otherwise. Since Monday, he had already grown accustomed to seeing Zeke with a huge smile on his face, the rare times he was serious was when he was interrogating him. Second of all, Zita also looked sad which he found alarming too.

When Zeke sat on his chair, Dib leaned closer to him and whispered. "Hey dude, what's up with you?"

Zeke looked back and simply shrugged his shoulders. "It's nothing. Your sister is just mad at me."

Dib raised an eyebrow. "Uhh... Isn't she always mad at you?"

Zeke shrugged again and before he could reply, the teacher came in.

The whole class looked towards each other in confusion, except for Zeke since he was new, when the teacher who was in front of them was not Ms. Bitters.

"Hi class, I'm your substitute teacher for the day." the now identified substitute teacher droned. "I'm also here to inform you that Ms. Bitters is currently not feeling well and so that they sent me to replace her temporarily."

The class began to murmur amongst themselves in excited tones. Never before in their short life had their homeroom teacher ever gotten sick and because of her old age, the teenagers were wondering whether she would die soon or not.

"Ok class, settle down, settle down. There's no need for false rumors to spread. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Bitters that you should be concerned about." The substitute teacher continued to drone.

Dib frowned and furrowed his eyebrows. Now he knew that something was really wrong. Not because Ms. Bitters was sick, but because she was as scary as ever yesterday. There was no way in hell that a person could get very sick that they were forced to be replaced by a substitute in just half a day, that made no logical sense. Dib then tapped Zeke on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Is it just me or is this whole 'Ms. Bitters is sick' thing actually a load of crap?" Dib asked sarcastically.

Zeke blinked before shrugging his shoulders once again "Beats me dude. I'm just surprised everybody is making a big deal out of this."

"That's because this is the first time that Ms. Bitters is actually absent in class, not to mention she never gets sick."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "Never?"

Dib shook his head. He frowned when he pointed an accusing finger towards their substitute teacher. "Also, doesn't _that_ make you suspicious?"

And Dib was right, for the substitute teacher was not even a human. It was a poorly disguised robot. The only parts where it could be considered human were the eyes, and the wig on it's head while the rest of it's metallic gray body is still revealed to the class. Also, the teacher was twitching once in a while with sparks coming out of its body.

Zeke blinked at it before facing Dib again. "Oh yeah, didn't notice that before."

Dib just smacked his forehead in frustration. "Whatever. The thing is, I need your help in investigating this. There must be an explanation and I will get to the bottom of this. So, what do you say?"

Zeke gave a lopsided smirk, to Dib's relief since he was weirded out by his seriousness. "Count me in! I always wanted to be a spy."

* * *

 _That night at skool on the rooftops_

"Ok, this is the plan." Dib started as he adjusted his suit. "First, we need to go to the infirmary and check the records. We need to see all the recent visits from the start of the week until today. Then, if her name isn't there, which I doubt if it is actually there, we will go to the security room and check all the cameras to see if something has happened to her. Based from my previous 'observations' of Ms. Bitters, she is usually the last person to leave the skool. Any questions?"

Zeke nodded and looked over himself. "Yeah, what's with the suits?"

Dib looked at his own outfit and raised an eyebrow. Dib and Zeke were both wearing skin-tight, black bodysuits that covered most of their bodies where the only visible part were their faces. On their waists were utility belts with grappling hooks, pepper sprays, and other stuff that they didn't need.

"What? I think it's necessary. You can never be too sure. Also, don't you think we look cool?" Dib flexed his muscles.

Zeke chuckled and shook his head. "Fine, I admit that we do look cool. Come on, let's get this show on the road."

Dib nodded as he opened the door that would lead them to the hallways and they entered.

To say that the trip to the infirmary was uneventful was like saying that getting water from the sink was a risk to your life. The hallways was empty, for obvious reasons. There were no security guards in the skool during the night because of budget cuts so Zeke and Dib would just walk to the infirmary without any incidents. Also, if the cameras were able to record them, they could just remove it in the security room later the day guards didn't bother to lock it.

After entering the infirmary, they immediately went to the logbook to check the most recent patients, and just like Dib predicted Ms. Bitters name wasn't there.

"Wait, if she got sick yesterday, wouldn't she just go directly to the clinic from her house? Why would she need to come to school?" Zeke asked after looking through another logbook.

Dib scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. "To tell you the truth, I don't know where she lives."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "You don't? Didn't you tell me that she has been your homeroom teacher for years now?"

"To tell you the truth, I've tried following her, to know where she lived, but every time I do, she seems to disappear around a corner. I also tried attaching some tracking devices on her but they keep getting malfunctioned for no apparent reason."

"Huh, weird."

"You know," a voice said from the door that made both boys freeze. "For someone breaking in into skool, one would expect you to be quieter."

Both teens turned to the door and saw Kat, arms crossed with a bored expression. "I knew the moment the 'substitute teacher' entered the classroom that you would do something stupid like this, Dib." She continued as both boys still stood there, frozen in place. "I just didn't expect you to rope him with you." She continued with a shake of her head.

Zeke was the first to recover as he laughed awkwardly. "So I guess the jig is up?"

Dib sighed as he looked at Kat pleadingly. "Please Kat, we know that something is not right here. Ms. Bitters just doesn't get sick and we need to find out what really happened to her!"

Kat just rolled her eyes. "Don't worry you idiots. I'm not here to expose you two. I'm also curious so I decided to play along." Kat then eyed the two of them from top to bottom, making Dib unconsciously cover himself. Kat smirked at him. "So, what's with the goofy costumes?"

Dib gaped at her before sputtering. "Th-This is not a costume, thank you very much! This is a spy uniform! I made it myself!"

Zeke raised an eyebrow and turned to him in alarm. "Dude, that's awesome."

Dib puffed his chest out. "Thank you, at least _someone_ here appreciates my efforts."

Kat rolled her eyes at their immaturity then glared at Zeke. "Whatever, anyways, we never got to finish our conversation last night, right Zeke?"

Dib looked at Kat in confusion before he turned to Zeke, who was merely rolling his eyes. "What is she talking about?"

Zeke sighed. "She actually ambushed me in an alley last night. Just like you, she thought I was the one who murdered those men. It was past midnight and I was tired so I did the most logical thing."

"He screamed in a high-pitched voice saying that he was being raped by someone." Kat deadpanned and followed them as both boys started walking towards the direction where the security room was.

"Hey, I only did that because I refuse to hit a girl!" Zeke defended with a huff.

"By screaming like one?" Kat offered with a smirk. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder if you are a masochist or something. I mean, don't get me wrong but I'm pretty sure that a normal human being would get tired of being ridiculed on a daily basis."

Zeke smirked as he gave a sideways glance to Kat. "Why do you care how Gaz treats me? I actually like listening to her voice, believe it or not. Don't tell me you're jealous?"

Unnoticed by the two, Dib flinched at that.

Kat just snorted. "As if. If anything, I pity you, you sorry excuse for a human. Of all the humans I've met, you're probably the second most hardheaded person that ever existed."

Zeke scoffed and crossed his arms. "Who's the first?"

"Dib."

"Hey!"

Zeke waved Dib off before he started arguing with Kat. "Also, why do you keep referring to me as human? You say it like you're not one."

Kat frowned and narrowed her eyes at his back. "Because I'm not."

Zeke and Dib stopped and both turned to her. Zeke's face in confusion, and Dib's in alarm.

"Beg your pardon?" Zeke said before turning.

"Kat don't-!" Dib started but was cut off by her.

"I'm an alien." Kat said curtly with a smirk on her face, crossing her arms.

* * *

 **AN:** Woah... Stand back folks, we got some drama over here!

And Kat just let the cat out of the bag!


	12. Explanation

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Invader Zim. Bow...

 **AN:** The more I write this story, the more I realize that I don't really know how will this end. I mean, sure, I already have the general idea how this story will end but with each chapter I add, the more the ending I think the ending is going to be, in a word, lacking. Like it's not going to be enough of a closure to my ever growing story. Oh well, only time will tell...

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Explanation** **"**

"I'm an alien." Kat said curtly with a smirk on her face, crossing her arms.

Silence filled the hallway as Zeke and the now revealed alien, Kat, stared at each other, Zeke with an unreadable face. Dib looked worriedly between the two of them.

It was broken when Zeke shrugged his shoulders. "Ok, that's cool." After saying that, his signature smirk returned to his face.

Dib's jaw dropped while Kat raised an eyebrow. "Th-That's it?" Dib stuttered out. "That's your reaction?!"

Zeke scratched the back of his head, looking at Dib confusingly. "Uh... Is there something wrong?"

Dib glared at him. "Yes, there is! First of all, you didn't even question what kind of alien she was! Second of all, you didn't even let her prove herself whether she was lying or not! Now I'm really sure that you're an alien! There is no way that you actually believe she is an alien unless you are one yourself!" He pointed an accusing finger at Zeke dramatically, who only looked even more confused before turning to Kat for some kind of explanation.

Kat sighed as she rubbed her temples, already quite used to Dib's antics. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think Dib has a point." Kat opened her eyes and then glared at Zeke. "If you're not alien, which I highly doubt you are, then prove it."

Zeke groaned and ran a hand through his face in frustration. "You know, the more you accuse me of being an alien, the more I think that you're crazy, no offense."

Dib pouted and crossed his arms. "Hey! You can't just call me crazy and say 'no offense'! I'm still offended!"

Kat roller her eyes at both boys' immaturity. Why did she ever thought that following these two idiots was a great idea? "Oh he's not crazy, more like obsessed actually."

Dib looked at Kat like she just slapped him. "Kat! Who's side are you on?"

Before Kat could reply, Zeke spoke loudly to get their attention. "Can we discuss this later? Aren't we supposed to go to the security room to check the video feeds or something?" Before Dib or Kat could reply, he started walking again, muttering about odd couples and aliens.

Kat, with her superior hearing, heard everything Zeke said. "Excuse me?" Kat asked with a smirk on her face, obviously finding what Zeke said funny. "What did you just call us?"

Dib blinked in confusion. "What? What did he say?"

Kat smirked widened when she saw Zeke blush in embarrassment. "He said that 'Of all the people I end up being friends with, it had to be with an antisocial gamer, and odd couple composed of a human and an alien.'" Kat snicked when Zeke blushed even further.

Dib also blushed but for an entirely different reason. "C-Couple?!" He squeaked out, earning a raised brow from Kat. "H-How can you tell that we're a c-couple?" He stuttered out, clearly caught off guard.

Zeke shook his head, trying to shake off the embarrassment. "You mean you two aren't a couple?"

"No!" Dib shouted. "I-I mean yes! I mean- It's complicated!"

Zeke merely shrugged and walked ahead to the Security room, which was at the end of the hallway.

Dib, who was still clearly flustered and didn't notice Zeke walking off, continued talking. "I mean, it's not that I don't like her or anything, she is really pretty! It's just that she's an alien." He realized what he just said and smacked his forehead. "No! That's not what I meant either! What I meant to say was that-" Before he could continue to rant, Kat decided to shut him up by covering his mouth with her hand.

She sighed as Zeke once again turned to them with an exasperated look on his face. "To make things simple, which it really is, Dib here confessed to me months ago that he has feelings for me, which I reciprocated. But," Kat rolled her eyes before continuing. "Romeo here thought that we shouldn't be a 'couple', as you humans would say, since he was afraid that the other humans would also make fun of me too."

Dib gently removed Kat's hand from his mouth before talking. "I didn't want to risk you losing your friendship with Zita and the others. I mean, you've been hanging out for about a year now."

Kat groaned as she rested a hand on her forehead. "Dib, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't really care about them. The only reason why I'm hanging out with them is because that's what you wanted." Kat sighed as she once again turned her eyes at Dib, gazing at him softly. "To tell you the truth, I would rather be around your sister and bicker all the time than spend another day with those barbie dolls talking about boys and makeup."

"I hate this little confession, but I think we already have wasted enough time as it is." Zeke interrupted as he successfully picked the lock of the Security Room door. "Come on! We have a teacher to save!" He boomed dramatically.

Kat merely rolled her eyes and grabbed Dib's hand to pull him inside the Security Room. All around the room were cabinets filled with tapes that probably contained recordings of each camera in the skool. On the other side of the door lied another room where the plaque on top reads 'Control Room'. Zeke immediately entered the room, closely followed by the other two, and was immediately greeted with monitors that were currently showing footage of all the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and all other rooms inside the skool except for the locker rooms, and rest rooms in real time.

Once inside the 'Control Room', Kat saw Zeke already watching one of the many monitors, standing behind a counter with a computer on it. Probably the one that is in control of all the monitors.

"Hmm... How should we do this? I'm not really good with computers though so I can't help with that. Is there any way for us to access the video feeds recorded yesterday through this computer?" Zeke asked as he tried to type something on the keyboard, although there wasn't any response from the computer.

"Here, let me try." Kat said as she approached the computer and started typing on the keyboard. Kat had a look of determination on her face as she typed so fast that the guys couldn't even follow what key she was tapping. It didn't take long before Kat was able to hack through the computer and opened a folder that contained all the video feeds recorded that week. Clicking on one the videos, the display on one of the monitors changed to the feed.

Zeke whistled as he leaned over the counter. "Sweet. Not only are you pretty, but good with computers as well?" Zeke looked at Dib and winked. "You, my friend, are pretty damn lucky to have won her heart. If my heart hasn't been taken already, you would've had some serious competition."

Dib laughed awkwardly at the praise. "Yeah... Thanks? I guess..."

Kat, who ignored the two, continued looking through the files until she found what they were searching for. Clicking on it, the display on the monitors changed to a recorded video of Ms. Bitters walking through the hallways.

"There. Looks like I found the correct video feed." Kat said as she stood up and focused on the monitor. "This video has been recorded before midnight yesterday."

Dib frowned as they watched Ms. Bitters entering and exiting each room in a hallway. "That makes no sense. Are you telling me that she actually stayed here last night?"

Kat shushed him so they could try and listen if Bitters was talking. They all stood quietly as they watched the feed play out the events last night.

Kat frowned as Bitters continued to go from room to room, only muttering about doom for the whole world every now and then, so she decided to fast-forward the video seeing as they were wasting time as it is. The video continued in a faster pace that made Zeke and Dib a little bit dizzy.

"This is getting us nowhere fast." Dib grumbled a few minutes later, patience thin due to their previous conversation. It was not that he thought Zeke would actually steal Kat from him, far from it, but because he was an alien, Dib still insisted he was, he was afraid that Kat would rather go out with a fellow alien than a weak human boy. "All she's doing is checking each room. Why don't we just skip to the part where she disappears?"

Kat frowned at him. "Well, we would, if we knew at what time it happened!" She snapped at him. Dib mumbled an apology and she groaned in frustration. Why was he being so difficult? He was usually the level-headed one when they did this kind of operation. Her frown deepened when she remembered what Zeke said earlier. Was he actually jealous? Kat shook her head and decided to ponder about it later after they found out what happened to their homeroom teacher. Not that she actually cared for her or anything, she was just curious in why the skool was hiding the facts. She was interrupted from her thoughts when she noticed something on the screen. She paused the video for everyone to see as well.

Bitters was glaring at something that was beyond the camera's vision. Kat played the video again but this time on the normal speed.

 _"Hey! What are you doing here at skool?!_ _It is against the rules to be in the skool at this time at night!_ _"_ Ms. Bitter's shouted at someone, appearing to be taller than she normally was. Instead of receiving an answer something flew towards her and pushed her down to the ground. The teens gasped when they saw this and paused the video to see what has caused it. Taking a closer look, Kat realised that it was a net trap and Bitters was currently ensnared in it. She continued the video to see what happened next. _"What is this?! Remove this at once or face doom!"_ Bitters hissed at her attacker and struggled to break but it was no use. It was then did they notice someone approaching Bitters. To Kat's irritation, she could only see the person's silhouette because of the darkness and so she decided to pause the video again.

"Hey, why did you stop it?" Zeke inquired as he squinted his eyes to see if he wasn't seeing things. It was definitely a man but something was off with him.

"The video feed is too dark. Let me adjust the brightness so we could actually see who this person is." Kat explained as she started typing again. This time, it only took her about a minute before video brightened considerably. Now that the video was brighter, they could finally be able to see who the mysterious person was. Just as Kat thought, it was not a person but a-

"Is that a robot? What's it doing in skool? More importantly, why is it after Ms. Bitters?" Zeke asked in wonder, looking at the figure in a new light. When no one answered him, he turned towards the other two teens and saw that they were not surprised by what they've seen, instead their eyes seemed to narrow. "What? What's wrong?"

Dib ignored him as he turned to Kat with a look of both surprise and anger. "Kat, are you seeing what I'm seeing right now?" Dib then pointed to something on the screen, on the back of the robot. "Is that what I think it is?" He hissed. There was no mistaking it.

Kat nodded, a frown on her face. It was something that she would immediately recognize even if she was blinded. After all, it was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment.

"It's an Irken pak," she stated gravely.

"A what now?" Zeke asked in confusion, also looking at the 'pak', as she said, attached to the robot.

"It's a life source, it's like a 'second brain' if you will." Kat answered, now glaring at the pak. "The fact that that pak is attached to that 'robot' means-"

"It means that that _thing_ is not a robot! It's an Irken invader!" Dib growled as he slammed a fist on the counter. Grinding his teeth, he clenched his fist tighter. "I knew it! I knew there was another invader in this planet! The question now is what it's doing on here on Earth?"

"Uhh... Excuse me... I have a question." Both Kat and Dib then turned to a confused Zeke. "What's an Irken invader? And what do you mean another? Does that mean that that 'Irken invader' over there is not the first one you've seen?"

Dib nodded solemnly. "Irkens are a race of green-skinned humanoid like race from the planet Irk. An Irken invader is considered the best among the Irken Elite soldiers. An Irken invader's role is to go from planet to planet and try to conquer it. To answer your second question, I've already seen four invaders in my life, one of them is already dead, another is residing here on Earth, and the last two are probably in their mother ship they call 'The Massive' where they travel through space to conquer other planets. Lastly, to answer your final question, no, this is the first time I've seen an Irken in that kind of armor. Well I think it's an armor."

Zeke raised an eyebrow, obviously not convinced in what Dib explained to him. "And you know all of this because...?"

"Because I'm the Irken he was talking about." Kat answered curtly. She turned to Zeke with a glare. "The only reason why I'm telling you now is because Dib here seems to trust you but that doesn't mean I do." Kat sighed as a cord suddenly appeared from her back and plugged itself on the computer. "After I get home, I will then analyze the video I'm downloading right now to see if I can get anything from the suit that will helpfully lead us to the identity of the invader."

"Woah!" Zeke jumped back in surprise, eyes wide as he stared at the metallic cord. "That is so cool!" Zeke blinked before turning to Kat. "Wait, I have a question though." Zeke said as he frowned at her. "If an Irken invader is already assigned in this planet, why is another one here? Don't you have rules regarding that? I mean sure, I could understand that you are the second invader since the previous one failed and died but what is with this third one?"

Kat nodded her head. "Of course. If we didn't then we would risk revealing ourselves before we could collect enough information to attack said planet. You see, I'm not technically an invader. I'm a Janitorial Drone assigned in the planet Dirt. I was assigned there for seventy Earth years before my I could go back to Irk to become a real invader."

Zeke sighed as he already knew what she was going to say. "Let me guess, you got tired of your work on planet Dirt, can't believe that's a name, and decided to ditch it and come here to Earth?"

Kat smirked as the cord retracted back inside her. "Pretty much." She then suddenly frowned, catching both boys off guard. "There is one thing I'm concerned with though." Kat then walked towards the monitor and pointed at the Irken. "What if this Irken isn't here to invade this planet. What if it's here for an entirely different reason?" Her eyes narrowed and turned to Dib. "What if this time we won't be able to stop them?"

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like things are picking up! Who is this Irken? Why are they in the planet if not to invade it? Most importantly, is Dib's jealousy going to be a hindrance to their mission? Find out next time on Dragon Ba-oops hehe, wrong show!


	13. Pain

**Disclaimer:** Do you ever get that feeling that you should probably stop writing disclaimers, like you don't own Invader Zim? No? Me too...

 **AN:** Hey everyone! I hope you still enjoy reading this as much as I'm writing it! Ta-ta!

Also, thank you for following silverhawk216, it's great to have you here!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Pain** **"**

Kat's eyes narrowed and turned to Dib. "What if this time we won't be able to stop them?" She then turned to Zeke. "Even before I left, Irkens have the the means to temporarily disable a camera."

Dib turned to her and frowned back, eyes full of confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Kat scowled and crossed her arms, eyes trained to the ground. "What if this was a warning? What if they did it on purpose?" Se started trembling and her voice wavered, eyes widened in fear. "What if it's me they're after?" She whispered as she hugged herself tightly.

Dib's eyes widened in alarm before they narrowed into slits and he gritted his teeth. "No! That's impossible! It's been years since you've lived in this planet! Why would they come after you now?!"

Kat snapped her head up, eyes flashing. "Does it really matter?! What matters is that they're here, on this planet, right now! Not only that, they've also kidnapped Bitters!" She barked, taking a step forward towards Dib.

Dib too stepped forward. "That doesn't mean that their after you! Also, who said that I'll even let them touch you?! They'll only be able to get to you over my dead body!"

Kat growled before she stomped her foot and turned away from him. Dib gave a deep sigh as his anger evaporated into exasperation. At that moment he remembered that the two of them weren't alone and turned to Zeke. "Sorry about that, didn't mean to fight in front of yo-" He stopped himself when he realized that the person he was talking to wasn't there. "Zeke? Where did that guy go?" Dib scratched his head as he walked outside the security room and looked around for Zeke. Dib figured that he probably left in the middle of their argument and so he went back inside to try and calm down Kat.

* * *

-Membrane Household-

Inside her room, Gaz was busily playing her video game when she received an email in her Game Slave, another feature that was added to it by Zim. She paused her game, checking to see who the recipient was. She rolled her eyes when she read the name and decided to read the email.

 _Hey,_

 _You'll never guess where I am right now! Come on, guess?!_

 _Ok ok, I'm at skool! At night! How cool is that?!_

 _Anyways, that's not what I'm here for!_

 _So you see, Ms. Bitters, our homeroom teacher, was not at skool this morning and was replaced with a substitute, that was actually a robot but everyone didn't find strange which is weird since it was quite obvious. So, I was there thinking that it was just normal when Dib told me that that was not normal. At first I was skeptical but when he told me that we would be entering the skool at night, I got excited! I mean, who could blame me for that? It was a once in a lifetime opportunity!_

 _So we hid in the rooftops until the last of the day guards left..._

Gaz had to smirk, picturing how excited Zeke might have looked while telling her all the things he did that night. She scoffed when he told her that 'Kat' was also there. She had nothing against the female Irken but she also didn't like, though she really didn't like anyone except for a selected few. Then there was also the fact that Dib, the self-proclaimed alien hunter, had feelings for the female Irken, a female _alien_. Although she couldn't judge him since she also had her problems with an alien, used to she corrected herself.

Then her interests were really piqued when Zeke mentioned in his email about another Irken invader. According to him, this invader was actually wearing a suit of armor from head to toe. He also mention that the armor almost made him look robotic. He said that the only reason why they thought it was an Irken was because of the pak on it's back. She would've preferred if Zeke actually sent an image of this Irken but then again, his phone probably wasn't that advanced compared to her Game Slave.

While she was pondering this, she received another message but was interrupted by a warning from her Game Slave. She read the text and raised an eyebrow to what it said.

 **WARNING: MAILBOX HAS REACHED STORAGE LIMIT;**

 **THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM:**

 **INCREASE MAILBOX CAPACITY;**

 **DELETE PREVIOUS EMAILS TO FREE SPACE;**

Gaz picked the second option since she didn't really have the ability or equipment for the first one. After clicking on the second one, another question appeared: 'Delete all read emails?', confirming it, her Game Slave then started removing all her emails, all except three. The top-most one being Zeke's unread message while the other two was from a different recipient, each of them containing a video file. But her focus was not on those messages or what they contained. No, her entire focus was on the recipient. Her eyes widened and she could feel her heart throbbing in pain. She bit her lower lip as she tried to fight herself from crying. She was not going to cry! Crying was a sign of weakness! She kept repeating those sentences in her head like a mantra, as her gaze locked onto the word that made her feel this way. She already showed this weakness once, she would not make the same mistake twice. One word, a name, a name that she thought she wasn't going to read again. Written in the same format of any word found inside her mailbox.

Zim.

-Flashback-

 _Gaz was on her way to Zim's house, as per usual during the weekends ever since the two of them became close friends, although both of them wouldn't admit it. With that in thought, Gaz had to resist a smirk from forming when she remembered the time she told Dib that she was hanging around Zim a lot. The look of betrayal on his face was almost comical, almost since he started crying and snot came out of his nose, and the worst part was he actually had the_ _audacity to wipe it on his sleeves, ugh! Disgusting. If that wasn't enough, he started spouting nonsense about betrayal to the humankind and family._

 _She couldn't really blame he him for being caught off guard by it. They didn't even hang out at skool since she was busy playing her video games and Zim was busy 'playing' invader with Dib. In fact, they rarely talk unless they got involved in each others interests. She then remembered that time when Zim thought that taking her Game Slave was a good idea. In a way it was, since that was the start of an okay but strange friendship._

 _With a frown on her face, she stepped onto the front porch and allowed Zim's computer to scan her. She always found it funny how strict Zim was when it came to security. Most of the time when the computer scanned her, it always engaged in small talk with her, like 'How are you, mistress?', 'Do you not get tired of his ranting', 'Please stop him before he kills himself.', or the most frequent 'He's on one of his moods again, mistress.'._

 _But not this time. This time, the computer sighed,"I'm sorry, mistress, but the master told me not to let you enter the base anymore."_ _For a computer it sounded sincere and apologetic._

 _Gaz furrowed her eyebrows, a frown on her face. "And why is that? We made a deal. He told me that I was allowed to enter his base whenever I want as long as I told him in advance. And you know what I did? I told him in advance! Now let me in!" Gaz barked as she readied her foot to kick the door open._

" _I am sorry mistress but orders are orders."_

" _Why?" Gaz demanded._

" _I'm sorry mistress, that is classified information!"_

 _Gaz growled as she glared at the door. "Don't you dare use that on me!" She pointed an accusing finger towards a window. "Zim! I know you're there! You better have a damn good reason for doing this or there'll be hell to pay!" She shouted, frustration clear in her voice. But there was another feeling inside her that she refused to acknowledge, refused to believe. Turning around, Gaz gave a sideways glance back to the window where she could clearly see a_ _silhouette_ _of the person she desperately wanted to strangle. "This is not over." She muttered while starting to walk away. "I will get my answers, and you will be the one to tell me."_

 _-Membrane Household-_

 _Gaz slammed the door shut and stormed to her room on the second floor. Dib, who was happily watching Mysterious Mysteries, practically jumped on his seat because of the sudden and loud noise. He snapped his head towards the door, just able to see Gaz storm up the stairs and probably went to her room as he heard a door slammed shut. He wondered whether he should ask her if she was alright but decided against it since he knew that she would never open up to him._

 _If Dib decided to ask her then he would've heard her. If Dib decided to ask her what was wrong, there was a possibility that she would actually tell him what it was. If he bothered to go upstairs up to her room, then he would probably hear the quiet sobbing coming from the inside. Gaz was on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest as she rested her head on top. Tears were slowly flowing down her cheeks. She always hated when this happened. Tears meant sadness, and sadness meant weakness. If there was one thing Gaz knew, it was that she wasn't weak, and this world was no place to be weak. Only the strong survived, and Gaz was on top of the food chain. Then why? Why was she crying? Why was she wasting her tears for something so insignificant?_

 _Gaz heard a beeping sound and raised her head to see her Game Slave flashing. She picked it up and realized that she received an email. Seeing the name of the sender only made her blood boil even more. She chucked the device quite hard against the wall that it got stuck there with cracks around it. It was one of those rare moments where she actually hated the upgrades done on the Game Slave and hated the one who upgraded it in the first place. How dare he send her an email just after what he had done! Why didn't he just tell it straight to her face?!_

 _Gaz slept early that night since she wasn't in the mood to play one her games so she didn't hear the beeping noise the device was making, it was still stuck on the wall since she didn't bother retrieving it._

-End of Flashback-

Gaz was brought out from her thoughts when she received another email from Zeke, telling her about Dib and Kat's fight. She replied to him telling him to meet her at the park tonight. She might as well have fun that night than spend the rest of the night moping about something in the past. What was done, was done.

* * *

-Later that night at the park-

Gaz and Zeke were once again on the swings. Gaz was actually the first one to arrive and Zeke was pleasantly surprised with this. When Gaz sat on the swing, Zeke started pushing her lightly and started retelling to her his little adventure earlier that night even though he already told her everything through his emails. Gaz didn't mind though, in fact she found it relaxing.

Silenced filled the night until Zeke broke it. "So, what was up with you at skool today?" Zeke asked as he sat down on the other swing and took her hand in his. She hardly reacted other than squeezing his hand. When she didn't respond, he continued, "Did it have to do with Zita?"

Gaz simple looked at him and sighed. "That girl is so obsessed you with you it's not even funny anymore. I mean, the first time she confronted me with it, I decided to play along , but after the second time, I don't think it was actually worth it."

Zeke eyes widened in surprise. "Woah, wait, back up, are you telling me that that's what the two of you were talking about at your locker?" He asked in bewilderment.

Gaz raised an eyebrow at that. "Duh! Why do you think she cried after seeing you grabbing my hand?"

Zeke groaned as he slapped a hand to his forehead, dragging it across his face in exasperation. "Why did I not realize that in the first place?" He muttered to himself as he massaged his temples. "No wonder she comforted me near your locker after you told me off."

Gaz smirked as she stood up from her side of the swing and sat on his lap. She was elevated enough that they were now eye to eye, her hands on his shoulders while his were on her back, supporting her. "You know, between you and me, I kinda got mad when she said that she would be there for you." Her eyes narrowed while her smile widened. "The nerve of that girl. I think you need to teach her a lesson."

Zeke raised an eyebrow while he brought one of his hands to her face, cupping her cheek and rubbed his thumb across her lower lip. "And why should I be the one to teach her that lesson?"

Gaz snorted as she leaned closer, their mouths just an inch apart. "Because I can't be bothered with something so trivial, now can I?"

Zeke chuckled breathlessly before kissing her, telling her that he would do it in a heartbeat.

Zeke sat there with Gaz on his lap, kissing. It was actually the deepest kiss they shared and neither of them minded at how intimate they were with each other even though they were not dating. It wasn't until midnight when Zeke decided to take a sleepy Gaz home by carrying her bridal style. Gaz protested at first but Zeke was adamant and she reluctantly let him. It wasn't until later that Gaz realized that Zeke loved babying her, kissing her forehead, asking if she was comfortable. Ugh, it was disgusting actually. But then again, she didn't want it any other way.

* * *

 **AN:** Another look on the past. We finally see why Gaz is so reluctant to open herself to someone again. But of all people, why did she easily open up to Zeke? What was so special about him other than the fact that he attracts purple haired girls? And the most important question of all, what do those emails from Zim contain?


	14. Art of Seduction

**Disclaimer:** Azukka does not own Invader Zim, which I should be thankful because the stress of thinking up of new ideas would probably kill me.

 **AN:** I am having such a blast writing this story! As the number of chapters I write increases, the amount of love I pour to each one also increases.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Art of Seduction** **"**

Yesterday night, Gaz realized that her relationship with Zeke was probably deeper than she initially thought with how comfortable she was being around him, an obvious example was they way she straddled him and how she was the one who initiated the kiss. She slightly blushed and tried to distract herself by cleaning her room. It was kind of an unwritten rule for her. Just because she spent most her days playing video games, in the past anyways, didn't mean that she wouldn't get out of her way to cleaning. Gaz may not care about popularity but that didn't mean that she was going to let herself go.

It was always like that. On weekdays she would go to skool, harass the teachers during class, play video games at lunch, continue harassing the teachers on the afternoon, walk home, harass people who tried to take advantage of her, eat dinner with family, if they were present at least, play more video games throughout the night, and finally go to sleep. Then on the weekends she would spend most of the day cleaning her room, and the rest of house depending on how dusty it was, washing her clothes, go to the mall to buy more video games and go grocery shopping in case they ran out of food, and then spend the rest of the night reading some her books for the upcoming week of classes again, and finally sleep.

This was how Gaz lived for most of her life, and she was contented with it. It wasn't overly exciting, or boring since her family always had their moments of insanity, and she didn't think she wasted any of her precious time with something trivial.

Then came along Zeke. He didn't really interfere with her life, as surprising as it was since he spent most of his free time hanging out with her. He was just... There, in a sense. He may have just entered her life but the impact he had made on her life was already obvious. For the second time in her life, the first was Zim, she was actually thinking about someone other than herself. There was also the fact that she was also spending her free time chatting with him instead of playing her video games. None of those made sense to her but at the same time, they did.

Gaz heard her Game Slave beeping on her bed and already guessed what it was and who sent it. After doing a quick look around her room, she decided to read the email after she was done. It took her about fifteen more minutes before she went through her mailbox and check the new email, and truth be told it came from Zeke. Gaz couldn't help but shake her head in amusement as the content of the email was a question if she wanted to got to 'Frustration Station' with him and he was doing at that time. He told her that he and his mom's moving to the neighbor hood was now finalized since all of their stuff had been unpacked and properly arranged in their house. Gaz immediately accepted his invitation in two conditions, the first one was that they should reschedule to next week since she was busy that weekend with chores and the second was that after they had their fun, he will take her to his house. Zeke asked why and she told him that she was curious, also she thought it was unfair that he had already seen the inside of her house and she hadn't seen his. Gaz could practically see the smirk on his face when he replied 'It would be an honor to have you visit my house, my fair maiden. Mom would be so happy to meet you!'

That was another thing Gaz found interesting, Zeke never mentioned anything about a father figure, only about his mom. Usually, when she wanted information about something, she would be blunt about it but since this was Zeke, she was reluctant in answering. Gaz sighed as she realized that that was another thing Zeke had influenced her. After debating with herself for a while, she decided to ask Zeke after she made sure that he won't be offended by it.

* * *

 _-Monday, at skool-_

Being the class president is both a privilege and a curse. While she was safe from Ms. Bitters temper, her classmates hated her for it. It wasn't like she did it on purpose or anything. There wasn't anything wrong trying to be on the good side of most evil teacher in skool, right? Most of the time, the class president's job is to make sure the classroom is presentable before the teacher arrives. Another part of her job was to collect all the homework before the skool bell rings. That was pretty much it, actually. Other than a few chores the teacher had given her, there wasn't really much she did.

But ever since Ms. Bitters' absence, that was when Zita realized that maybe being the class president wasn't all what it's cracked up to be. Her job just got a lot harder. Not only did she have to do attendance, not to mention keeping the troublemakers from getting out of class while the substitute's attention was away from them. Then there was the fact that she had to take notes, for hers and Ms. Bitters when she returned, and take it to the faculty for safe keeping. After that, she had to get all the fliers for the upcoming skool dance, which was two weeks from now, and post them all over skool.

It was actually after first period did Zita finally felt overwhelmed with everything. She told the other girls to go on ahead in class while she headed to the faculty to get the fliers. It never occurred to her that she would probably need help carrying them, the pile was about two feet high and was very heavy. Out of options, she decided to carry the fliers herself, only to almost fall when she realized that she didn't have the strength to carry them.

"Woah! Hey, careful there!" Zeke exclaimed while he took the fliers from Zita without any effort. "Here, let me carry them for you, they're too heavy for you to life anyways." Zeke laughed while Zita adjusted her jacket back to place. "There, so much easier." Zeke flashed Zita a smirk as he adjusted the fliers on his arms. "Now, where do you want these taken to?"

Zita blinked up at him, surprised by his presence. "Z-Zeke?! What are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be in class?" She demanded, leading him towards their classroom, since she was planning on posting the fliers during lunch with the help of some volunteers.

"I could say the same for you." Zeke countered easily. "Anyways, I was on my way there when I saw you headed towards the faculty, I was bored and curious so I decided to follow you." Zeke grinned as they neared their classroom, before entering, Zeke turned to her and winked. "Also, I just can't let a pretty girl like you carry heavy stuff. It ruins your beauty." Zeke entered the room and greeted all his classmates with a smile on his face, leaving behind a heavily blushing Zita to come to terms to what just happened.

 _D-D-Did he just flirt with m-m-m-me?_ Her thoughts were running wild in her mind. She shook her head as she went inside and sat on her chair, the stack of fliers already beside her. _Of course he wasn't. He was just trying to be nice to me._ That was what she told herself but deep down inside, she wasn't sure she truly believed it. She slightly turned her head and looked at him, sighing in relief when she realized that his attention was on Dib. _But he called me pretty, and nobody ever calls me pretty._ Her inner thoughts argued with her. She shook her head when she realized that she was probably blushing. She once again peered at him before turning away with a small smile on her face. _Maybe, just maybe, he feels the same way I do!_

To her surprise and utter delight, Zeke continued helping her throughout the morning. While she posted the fliers, Zeke would apply the glue and carrying the rest when they moved to another wall. On that day, the class presidents of each grade level would have meetings regarding the skool dance. When Zeke offered to write the minutes for their class, Zita couldn't be happier since they would spend the rest of the morning together even though they would be busy in that time. It was only after the meeting did Zita realize how amazing Zeke was. Throughout the whole meeting, not only was he able to write everything in orderly fashion but he was also able to give some ideas that the other class presidents were having problems with. For example, none of them there, since all of the class pres were girls, knew what boys wanted and would help them feel at ease at the party and not cause a scene. Zeke provided them with all the possible solutions and most of them were cost efficient. Another trait Zita of Zeke that Zita discovered was that he had pretty good mannerism for someone who spent most of his time goofing off. With all these, Zita could never imagine something ruining her perfectly good mood.

* * *

 _-Lunch break-_

Too bad she was wrong.

Zita sighed as she played with her lunch, eyes locked to the 'other' table. She just couldn't understand what Zeke found in those... weirdos.

"I just don't get it." Zita mumbled a she watched Zeke slung an arm around Dib's shoulder and told Dib something that made him turn green. "What do they got that we don't?!"

Jes raised an eyebrow, shifting her focus from her phone to her friend. "He has male companion there for one thing. Also, he seems to be more lively when he's with them." Jes pointed out curtly. "Like I said before, why are still bothering in trying to get his attention when there are other boys here that are practically foaming at the mouth looking at us." She then pointed to a table where the boys there were doing exactly what she said, practically foaming at the mouth and eyeing them like pieces of meat.

Zita shuddered in disgust. "Ugh, as if! Just look at those... dogs! Like hell I would be caught dead standing near them! Let alone actually _talk_ to them, ugh! Am I right, Gretch?" Zita asked as she turned to her friend, who was also busy looking, staring actually, at Dib as he paled when Zeke told him something, holding a folded piece of paper on his hand. "I said, am I right, Gretch?" She emphasized her name, effectively snapping the teen out of her musings.

"Oh, I mean, y-yes... Y-You are always right..." Gretchen mumbled as she blushed from being caught staring. When Zita only gave her a deadpan look, she started fiddling with her thumbs. "I-I mean...! I-I..." Gretchen ended her sentence with a mumble, eyes cast down.

Zita groaned as she rested a finger on her forehead. "It's ok Gretch. I'm sorry for snapping you out of your _focus._ " She sighed again as Gretchen's blush deepened. She then turned to Kat who was actually listening to her, for once. Zita smirked at her."So Kat, the skool dance is on Friday next week. Has anybody asked you to the dance yet or are you planning on skipping it again?" It was true, for the past three skool dances since Kat transferred to their skool, she skipped all of them. Her reasoning was that these so called 'traditional get-togethers' was just a waste of her time. That didn't stop Zita from trying to convince her though. For the past four years, Zita had tried to find the perfect match for her snarky friend but failed miserably. She just couldn't find anyone who could stand her snideness. Most guys that approached her ended up almost in tears because of those traits of hers. "We're almost seniors, you know? Sooner or later you're going to realize that you actually need a man in your life."

Kat was about to respond when Zeke suddenly appeared and sat in front of her, a smug smile on his face, she, in return, just raised an eyebrow at his sudden arrival. "May I help you?" Kat asked nonchalantly.

Zeke's smile widened as he turned back to the 'weird' table, which Zeke named strangely enough, and looked at Dib in particular, who was paling even more by the second. "Oh you know, just passing by and I noticed I have this folded piece of paper in my pocket with your name on it." He explained, his voice filled with amusement. By this time, everyone had their attention turned towards their them since Zeke was not even trying to keep his voice down. "Shocking, isn't it? So I was planning on giving to you later but for some odd reason, I have this feeling that I should give it to you at this moment. Anyways, here you go!" Zeke practically shoved the letter to Kat's hand before standing up and walking back to other table, Dib looking like he was about to pass out only to receive a slap to the back of his head, courtesy of Gaz, for being overly dramatic.

Everyone waited in baited breath as Kat unfolded the piece of paper and read it with a blank face. No one, not even her so-called friends, didn't have a clue what she was reading since her face never changed from its default deadpan look. After reading the letter for a second time, Kat turned her attention back to the 'weird' table before standing up and walking towards it with purpose. Before Kat could get close enough, Zeke hurriedly sat next to Gaz so that Kat would be forced to sit next to Dib, who was looking paler every step Kat took. Before anyone could say anything, except for Gaz who grew bored of the situation and turned back to her game, Kat sat beside Dib and looked at him resolutely.

"H-Hey K-K-Kat..." Dib stuttered, voice cracking under the nervousness. "Wh-What brings you here to our table?" He tried to casually start a conversation but failed miserably. Every student there was practically holding their breaths in anticipation for the storm that was Kat to break.

Kat, with her usual deadpan look, said something so unexpected that the other teenagers began murmuring excitedly among themselves. Something so absurd, at least according to Dib, that he thought he heard wrong.

"C-Can you repeat that?" Dib squeaked out, his voice almost a whisper.

Kat rolled her eyes as Zeke tried to hold back his laughter, only for Gaz to elbow him since she thought it was getting exciting again. "I said, yes, I accept your invitation in this, as your people say, skool dance since you asked nicely. I mean, I'm technically you-" Before she could continue, a voice cut her off.

"NO! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT!"

* * *

 **AN:** Wait, where is the main plot? What about that Irken that took Ms. Bitters? And what about Gaz's revenge plan? Are these questions going to be answered? Unfortunately, even I don't know...


	15. Execution

**Disclaimer:** I own this story but I never owned Invader Zim.

 **AN:** I am still surprised people are reading this... And things are about to get real...

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Execution** **"**

"NO! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT!" The voice shrieked, causing everyone that was listening to snap their heads towards where the voice came from. The voice came from a tear-stricken Gretchen who was clenching her fists so hard that her knuckles had turned white. She gritted her teeth as glared hatefully at Kat, who was looking at her with indifference, a brow raised. "Y-Y-YOU'RE LYING! IF DIB IS TAKING ANYONE TO THE DANCE, IT'S M-M-ME!" Gretchen continued shrieking. She looked like she wanted to go over the other table but was afraid that she would trip because she couldn't properly see because of the tears flowing from her eyes.

Zita looked back and forth between her friends in worry. She didn't understand what was happening and so she didn't know what to do. "Gretch," Zita whispered to her friend, "Calm down! You're making a scene!" But it seemed to be in vain because Gretchen was so focused on Kat that she probably didn't hear her.

"Wh-Why, Kat?" Gretchen choked out, as if all the energy in her body had been drained away. "Y-You're supposed to be my friend... Why did you do this to me?" She started biting on her lower lip to stop herself from sobbing but it was a fruitless effort.

Everyone who was watching felt bad for the purple haired girl. Everyone in the cafeteria knew that out of all the popular kids, Gretchen was the only one who was actually nice and caring while the others were only pretending. When one looked at her right now, they would probably think that she was robbed or something like that. To make the situation worse, Kat was looking at her nails, clearly uninterested to what Gretchen had to say to her.

"Well?! Answer me!" Gretchen demanded as Kat continued to ignore her. Another person who looked uninterested was Gaz as she started going through her emails and remove all the spam mails from her mailbox. Dib, on the other hand, was panicking as he was trying to find a way to prevent an incident from happening.

Kat, irritated for being interrupted, glared at Gretchen. "What are you talking about? If anything, Dib is obligated to take me to the dance. You wanna know why?" Kat smirked as Gretchen's eyes furrowed. "Because he's my boyfriend."

"K-Kat! Why did you have to say that?!" Dib whispered frantically as he watched all the other teenagers talking among themselves at the revelation. This was what he was trying to avoid, and Kat just carelessly threw it out the window. _Great, now everyone is going to be on my case._

"N-No, that can't be true! Stop lying!" Gretchen shrieked, distraught by the news.

Kat rolled her eyes as she grabbed Dib's face and pulled him closer. "You want proof? Here." She said before she planted a kiss on his lips. Dib, surprised by the sudden attack, gasped and Kat inserted her tongue into his mouth. Everyone watched with wide eyes and open mouths when the kiss transformed into a full blown make out session between the popular girl and the weird boy. They heard someone choke before the doors to the cafeteria slammed open and saw that Gretchen was nowhere to be seen anymore.

"Gretch!" Jes shouted as she stood up then looked at Zita. "Come on, let's go after her!" But her words fell on deaf ears as Zita was now glaring at where Zeke and Gaz were sitting. Jes followed her gaze and realized why Zita was glaring. Amid all the chaos, Zeke apparently was able slip his hand into hers without anyone noticing in the slightest. He grinned triumphantly as he intertwined his fingers with hers.

* * *

As everyone's focus was on the retreating Gretchen, Zeke used it as the opportunity to make his move. Noticing that Gaz's hand was free, he discreetly took it in his hand. He felt Gaz tense, but she didn't pull away. Zeke took this a sign that she okay with it. He then noticed that she was now staring at him as if saying 'What the hell are you doing? We had a deal remember?'. Zeke flashed her a smile and started rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb. "Sorry, but I missed holding your hand."

Gaz rolled her eyes but instead of pulling away, she squeezed his hand instead. Zeke's smile broaden and glanced at the other people in the room, glad to see that they were still focusing on Dib and Kat's kiss. He leaned closer to Gaz before planting a kiss on her temple.

* * *

Zita growled as she saw what Zeke did. _Why? What does that weird Membrane girl have that I don't?_

"Zita!" Zita snapped her neck towards the voice.

"What?!" Zita hissed, irritated for being interrupted in her thoughts.

"Hello? Gretchen, remember her? You know, your friend that ran away crying?" Jes asked as if she was talking to a child, a spoiled one at that.

Zita snorted as she crossed her arms and focused her attention to Zeke and Gaz. "What about her? She can take care of herself. Give it a few minutes and she'll bounce right back in here." Zita insisted as she continued glaring at the two.

Jes groaned as she had another problem to deal with. She had no time for this, Gretchen needed them more. "Zita, come on, let's deal with that later." Jes insisted as she motioned for Zita to stand up. " I know you think this is important but Gretch needs us!"

Zita turned to Jes and gave her a strange look. _Since when did she care for anybody else?_ Zita thought as she tried to remember a time where Jes actually showed concern for her, but she couldn't and that only made her angrier at the situation she was in. She gritted her teeth as she glared momentarily at Jes before turning back to Zeke and Gaz, the former laughing at his own joke. "Since when did you care about anyone other than yourself?" Zita mocked her 'friend'. "In fact, when was the last time you asked me if I was okay?"

Jes furrowed her brows in confusion but also clearly offended. "What do you mean? Can we not talk about this right now?"

Zita sighed and looked away. "Look, Jes, I'm not in the mood right now. Why don't you, I don't know, call her phone or something like that. I'll... I'll try to help in finding her later, ok? Just... Just not right now. I'm kind of busy at the moment."

Jes glared at Zita for a second before she scoffed and briskly walked out the doors of the cafeteria and into the hallways, looking to where Gretchen ran off to. _Fine, if that's how you feel then consider our friendship over. Good luck finding other people who can tolerate you. I need to find Gretchen fast and sort this all out before it's too late._ Jes thought sadly. She didn't want to end her friendship with Zita just like that but enough was enough.

* * *

Kat broke the kiss and turned back to where Gretchen was standing, only to find that Zita was the only person left at their table. She frowned before turning to Gaz, mouth pursed to a straight line. "You planned this." It wasn't a question and more of a statement. Before Gaz could ask what she meant, Kat turned to Zeke. "Can you boys leave us a minute? I need to ask Gaz something in private."

Zeke shrugged and pulled Dib from his chair, since he was still in a daze, and pulled him towards an empty table. The other kids had their eyes trained on the two of them before they returned to their food since the drama seemed to have ended. Who would've thought that something that bizarre would happen in their cafeteria, and all because two of the most popular girls in skool were fighting over a boy, and the fact that it was Dib made it more confusing for them.

Kat watched as the boys walked away and when they were a good distance away, she turned back to Gaz who was also looking at her. "You made Dib write that letter, didn't you?"

Gaz shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I waste my ti-"

"Aren't you being a little too harsh?" Kat cut her off mid-sentence, eyes narrowed. "Don't even try, I'm not as gullible as Dib, if that's what you think."

Gaz snorted as she turned her device off and focused all of her attention on the girl in front of her. "Could've fooled me. Anyways, since you've obviously caught me, I'll answer any question you have as the price. Does that make you happy?"

Kat scowled at Gaz, obviously not amused by her taunting. "Don't patronize me. Look, just because I don't view them as friends doesn't mean that you get to play with their emotions, especially Gretchen's." Kat slammed a hand on the table, but no one was there to react to it since the bell rang just a few minutes ago, and everyone except the two them already left. "What has she ever done to you?!" She snapped, standing up and glaring down on Gaz, who looked only looked at her with mild interest.

"Who said it has anything to do with her?" Gaz shot back. "I have no beef with her it's just that she's vital with my plans, in fact, the three of you are vital to my plan. You, Gretchen and that blonde girl Jes." Gaz listed off as she also stood up. "I mean, seriously, if she was my target then I would've done far worse than just make her cry."

Kat eyes furrowed as she recited the names Gaz said in her head, and then it was there it hit her. "Zita, you're after her, aren't you?"

Gaz yawned as she started walking away. "Yes."

"Why?" Kat asked in confusion. "Why go this far just because of a simple threat she'd made?"

Gaz stopped walking but didn't turn to her. "Because the two of us are playing a game, you see. She hosted the game by challenging me and I accepted it. There's nothing wrong with playing games, is there?" Gaz still had her back to her but Kat could clearly see the smirk on her face.

"This isn't a game. I may not be fully understand human culture but I know that games don't usually involved manipulating the emotions of others." Kat snapped. She was clearly pissed at how easy Gaz was saying all the things she just said.

"Oh it is a game, I can assure you. You see, if she didn't challenge me then we would've never been in this situation to begin with. If she just didn't interfere with my life then none of this would have ever happened." Gaz immediately turned and revealed her smirk to Kat, unnerving her in how innocent she looked. "And for these types of games, there are only two things you need to know."

"And that is?" Kat pressed when Gaz refused to continue.

"One, before you challenge anybody, you must first do your homework and research all you can about your enemy. And two, just because you know the rules doesn't mean you know how to play it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a class to attend to." She said before turning away and walking out of the cafeteria, leaving a clearly confused Kat to think about what she just said.

"Oh, one more thing," Gaz said, pausing by the door, "This little game of ours is far from over. And I intend to win, no matter the cost."

* * *

 **AN:** If there is one thing that you shouldn't do, that would be to be on Gaz's bad side. Just a warning though, don't take it seriously :)


	16. We Are Different

**Disclaimer:** Invader Zim has never been owned by Azukka. You have been warned...

 **AN:** I am still surprised people are reading this... And things are about to get real...

 **ngrey651** **:** Hmm... I can't help but find your review... déjà vu-ish...  
I know I read it somewhere before...  
Anyways... You can't really blame her if she acts that way...  
Remember, in my previous chapters I've shown some flashbacks regarding Zim and Gaz's friendship. It was at a time where Gaz was willing to open up to someone for the first time. Then Zim suddenly abandoned her without even telling her why... Not to mention that it was already hinted before that she was actually starting to fall for him...  
I for one think it's hard recovering from that and will eventually shape you into something that people will hate you for it...  
That's my reasoning at least XD

 **Zim'sMostLoyalServant** **:** Not as low as the ones in the previous chapters. Remember, Gaz already killed 4 people since this story started...

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **We Are Differen** **t** **"**

Gaz sighed as she watched all the people going on with their business, some were probably going to work while the ones running were already probably late for skool. Gaz decided to ditch skool that day, it wasn't like it was a special day or anything. It was just your typical Tuesday and Gaz just wanted to get away from all the annoyance her life was suddenly plunged into.

Yesterday, after lunch, students kept staring at her while she walked the hallways and some of them were murmuring between themselves. Normally this wouldn't bother her but they just kept piling up when they also started whispering about her and her involvement with the incident until the irritation was starting to get to her. After class, she decided that she would take a day off from all the craziness and spend the day in the park where there was peace and quiet.

Gaz closed her eyes and leaned against the bench she was sitting on as she felt the wind passing through her hair. She finally felt relaxed, like the previous week was just a dream and she would wake up any moment and find herself in the hospital because Dib was an idiot again. That fantasy was broken when she felt the bench she was sitting on shift slightly, caused by someone sitting next to her. She didn't open her eyes since she already had a pretty good idea who it was. Her theory was confirmed when a familiar hand suddenly wrapped around hers. She squeezed the hand to tell the person that she was awake and not to be bothered yet and the person beside her replied by squeezing back. She was somewhat amused that two simple gestures were the only thing needed to pass the message.

It was only about five more minutes before Gaz opened her eyes and stared straight ahead, not even glancing at the person next to her. "What are you doing here?" Gaz demanded, not beating around the bush. "And don't say that you just happened to be wondering around and wound up here or I will punch you in the face."

Zeke laughed as he removed his hand from hers and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "To tell you the truth, I was just at your house this morning when I came across Dib on his way to skool. I asked him where you were and he said that he had no idea since you already were gone when he just left your house. Since I didn't pass you on your way to skool, I figured that you were probably somewhere else and since I had a feeling that you were going to be at the park, I decided to get here first and, lo and behold, I found you here!" He beamed at her like he just did some miracle, which prompted her to roll her eyes. "So... What about you?"

Gaz raised an eyebrow as he tightened his hold on her. "What about me?" She shot back.

It was Zeke's turn to roll his eyes. "You know what I mean, but to be more specific, what are you doing here? Oh, and if you tell me that you were just wondering around and wound up here by accident then I'll totally buy it!" He reassured her like she was hiding something scandalous from him, once again earning him a roll of her eyes.

Gaz stared up at him for a few more seconds before turning her head back to the streets and released a sigh. "Just thinking... Skool has been annoying lately and I wanted to be alone for today..." She glanced at Zeke and smirked. "But I'll make an exception for you."

Zeke smiled as he leaned closer and kissed her forehead. He looked down at her, smiling lovingly. "I'm honored, truly I am." He sighed as he cupped her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. "What happened yesterday was just an accident. You and I both know it and there's no need for you to hide it from me. So stop beating yourself over it."

Gaz sighed and held the hand cupping her cheek. "I know. The only reason why I forced Dib to write that letter was because I just know that he wasn't going to ask her. If only I had known the kind of mess that could happen then I would've stopped while I was ahead."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "How could you? There were so many variables involved. First of all, there was no way that you were going to be able to predict that Gretchen would react like that. I've only known her for a week but I can already tell that she's not the type to voice out her opinion. I mean, sure, I already knew that she has a thing for Dib but I didn't know that her feelings for him were that strong. Then there was Kat, not even you could've known that she was going to kiss Dib in front of everyone in skool, I mean, even I'm not that bold!" Gaz just stared blankly at him and he chuckled awkwardly. "Ok, maybe I aml but that's besides the point. What I'm trying to say is that no matter how good you are at planning, there are some things that you could not predict."

Gaz glared up at him. "Well, what if I really did plan those? What if I knew which buttons to press so that Gretchen would snap like that? What if me and Kat actually planned the whole thing? What can you say to that?" Gaz challenged.

To her astonishment, Zeke only laughed. "Well, if that was what really happened then I'd both be amazed and frightened by your intelligence! Not that I don't find you intelligent since I do." His laughter died as he regarded her again, a simple smile on his face. "You distance yourself from everyone else since they can never understand what you do." Gaz looked at him in confusion but he ignored him, opting to continue. "You think that when they find out who you really are, they're just gonna distance themselves from you. So instead of opening yourself to them, you decided that they're not worth the trouble and just be on your lonesome. Am I right?"

Gaz just looked at him with a frown on her face. "How did..."

Zeke smirked as he once again stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Because we're more alike than you think. Just like you, I also distance myself from everyone else since they don't see me as Zeke, they see me as an intelligent, handsome, athletic, role model. For years that's the only thing I've been doing, being a role model for them. They didn't really care enough to get to know me, they only cared for my achievements, for what I've done, for what I represent." He sighed as he smiled sadly at her. "That's one of the reasons why I've moved here, to start over, you know? I would be Zeke, the kid who always smiles and jokes around, the kid who can eat the most burgers in five minutes, or maybe, the kid who got in detention for breaking skool property... Yeah..."

Zeke was silent for a couple of minutes until Gaz broke it. "Do you miss it? The attention, I mean."

Zeke chuckled as he leaned forward and kissed her nose, which she wrinkled since she was caught on surprise by the sudden action. "Nope. You know why? Because I've met the most amazing person I thought I would never meet in a million years. Someone who knows what I feel. Someone who understands me. And most of all, someone who I care deeply enough to open up to."

Gaz just listened to him as he confessed his feelings for her. He didn't outright say it but the message was clear, and if that wasn't enough then his eyes were probably a dead giveaway. She'd always seen it in the movies but it was when she gazed in Zeke's eyes was she finally able to understand how the couples in those movies were able to tell they love each other just by staring at each others' eyes. Just looking in them made her realize how important she was to him. And if she dared, she probably had the same emotions in her eyes regarding him. Unconsciously, she leaned up and closed her eyes as Zeke leaned down to capture her lips with his. He put a hand to the back of her head to deepen the kiss and she rested her hands on his chest. He licked her bottom lip, requesting access into her mouth. Without hesitation, she opened her mouth slightly, granting his tongue access to hers and allowed him to taste the inside of it.

Gaz moaned as Zeke deepened the kiss by pulling her closer, even though there was practically no space between them. Before things could get any further, Gaz pulled away with a gasp, cheeks flushing and mouth opened as she breathed in and out, struggling to control the wave of emotions that she thought she had locked up. She gazed at Zeke and noticed how disheveled he looked.

"I...think..." Gaz breathed in deeply, trying to catch her breath. "I think it would be best if we don't do _that_ again in public."

Zeke frowned at that before it disappeared and was immediately replaced with a knowing smirk. "So what you're saying is it's ok as long as it's in private?"

Gaz rolled her eyes, adjusting her shirt while Zeke, being the gentleman that he was, fixed her hair. _Boys and their hormones._ "Yes Zeke, as long as nobody sees us then it's fine with me."

Zeke's smile was replaced with a frown as he looked at her tentatively. "So, what does that make us? Does this mean that we're more than friends?" He asked hopefully.

Gaz's eyes furrowed as she thought about the question carefully. "Honestly? I don't know. I mean, I've never been in a relationship before so this is all new to me."

Zeke smirked as he leaned forward and pecked her on the lips. That's ok." He whispered. "Not knowing is part of the fun."

Gaz smirked at his enthusiasm. "Oh by the way," Gaz said, remembering their earlier conversation, "Just because what happened yesterday was just an accident, doesn't mean that I wasn't happy it turned out that way."

Zeke tilted his head in confusion as he once again pulled her closer by the waist. "But didn't you say that if you would've known that would happen then you would stop while you were ahead?"

"Of course, but I didn't say that I regret what happened. I just hate all the attention I was getting from everyone. Like I said, the reason why I'm here is because I want to be away from all the idiots from skool, except you of course."

Zeke smiled ruefully. "Oh, so I'm an idiot now?"

Gaz shrugged as she stood up but the smirk on her face meant that she was just joking. "Pretty much. I mean, only an idiot would risk their lives by kissing me without my consent."

Zeke stood up and glared down at her, arms crossed. "Hey! I'm not the one who initiated the kiss! You did!"

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Does it really matter?"

"Nope, just pointing it out." Zeke answered with a smile on his face.

Gaz rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go to 'Frustration Station' and break some stuff," she grabbed his hand and started pulling him to the streets before looking back at him with a smirk, "and after that, you will take me to your house and there I will tell you everything about myself."

Zeke's eyes widened in wonder. "Everything? Like what your favorite food is?"

Gaz had to smile at that, he was probably the only boy in skool who would ask something innocent like that. "That, and many more... I promise you." Gaz smiled a genuine smile at him and Zeke thought she was beautiful before, but now, now she looked like an angel. An angel that crawled out from hell. With that in mind, Zeke showed her a toothy grin and walked side by side with her.

* * *

 **AN:** The more I write these chapters, the farther the ending is going to be... I can't seem to grasp the idea that this story has to end sooner or later.

Also, we finally get to see a sneak peek of Zeke's house by the next chapter! I'm so excited! What secrets does he hold? What kind of parents does he have?! And why does he compare himself with Gaz?! Are they more alike than we thought?!


	17. Stepped Out of Line

**Disclaimer:** If it hasn't been said yet, I will say it again. Azukka does not own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** It seems people are telling me(not you ngrey651) that Gaz is OOC for what she did to Zita... Look people, if you've watched the show then Gaz has done more questionable things than what I've done!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Stepped Out of Line** **"**

"Well, here we are!" Zeke said with a huge grin on his face, arms stretched outwards. "What do you think?"

Gaz looked at Zeke's house with a critical eye, looking at everything like they hide secrets in them. After their little fun in breaking stuff, Zeke immediately started pulling Gaz towards his house. It was actually quite funny how he was more excited at showing her when she was the one who proposed in the first place. It was already after lunch when they arrived and both were hungry. Zeke assured her that his mother was a great cook so they decided that they'll have lunch at his house.

When Gaz didn't answer, Zeke turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "What? You find something you don't like or are you trying to find a way to break in?" He asked with amusement.

Gaz snorted and rolled her eyes at him. "The latter, duh. If I want to sneak inside your house and go to your room, I need to find a way to do it without being detected."

Zeke had a dreamy look in his face, a goofy smile on place. "Yes... You in my room." He said airily.

Gaz shook her head while flicking his nose, making him wince. "Keep your mind out of the gutter. You'll have plenty of time fantasizing about us later but right now you will give me a tour around your house." Gaz was nothing but blunt. Of course, ever since they had their first kiss, Gaz already thought of the inevitable future of having intercourse with the man next to him so she wasn't uncomfortable of discussing it. It also didn't hurt that Zeke wasn't in a hurry with...whatever they were right now.

Zeke mock saluted before opening the door and holding it for her. "After you, my lady, and welcome to my humble abode. I do hope you'll enjoy your stay here. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask because the staff here will do everything in their power to please you." Gaz snorted when he said it in an exaggerated British accent.

"I'll keep that in mind." Gaz said offhandedly as she started looking around the house. As she expected, the house looked fairly normal, except for the medals hanging off the walls or pictures of Zeke accepting rewards for being first place. "Do you live here alone?" She asked, stepping into the kitchen while Zeke followed her with a contented smile on his face.

"No, he lives here with the 'staff'!" A muffled womanly voice answered from the other room behind a closed door, probably from the bathroom. Suddenly, the door opened and a black haired woman walked out. Just at first glance, Gaz could already tell that this woman was related to the black haired teen beside her. If it wasn't for the face, then it was probably because she was sporting the same lopsided smirk her son usually wore at skool. "And who might this beautiful young lady be? She 's much too pretty to be the girl you were always talking about." She asked with an amused glint in her eyes, which only confirmed further that she was Zeke's mother.

Zeke coughed in his hand and used his other one to take Gaz's. "Mom, I want to introduce to you the most amazing girl I have ever met, Gaz Membrane." He then turned to Gaz. "Gaz, my mom."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear." Mrs. Mathews said with a bright smile, extending a hand towards her.

Gaz returned the smile out of politeness. Just because she was the mother of her only friend didn't mean she was going to trust her. "It's nice meeting you too. I hope we aren't being a bother visiting here at this time."

Mrs. Mathews raised an eyebrow at what she said before it dawned on her. Her eyes widened and she slowly looked at the clock. It was only about one in the afternoon and she was pretty sure that lunch break finished half an hour ago. "Oh, it's no problem, dear." She said in her sweet voice, although her face was anything but. She was currently having a staring contest with her son when she said. "Zeke... You better have a good reason for this."

Zeke looked offended. "Mom, are you saying? You think me and Gaz are...? Really? What do you take me for? Of course there is a valid reason for our absence! What do you take us for?" He sniffed haughtily."I'll have you know that me and Gaz are the epitome of good behavior!"

Gaz had to hold in a snort as she watched Mrs. Mathews roll her eyes and realize that Zeke probably used that excuse when he was in trouble.

"Of course." Mrs. Mathers teased, hands on her hips. "Because there is obviously nothing wrong with a boy and a girl at your age spending time together, unsupervised, doing who knows what at who knows where." The sarcasm was so thick that you could cut it with a kitchen knife. When Zeke refused to answer and blush instead, Mrs. Mathews shook her head with a little chuckle. "Oh, come now, I was only teasing." She then took some plates from the cupboard and walked to the table. "So, you kids hungry? I assume you two are, so I'm going to make you lunch, are sandwiches ok?"

"Sandwiches sound great, mom, thanks!" Zeke called out as he pulled Gaz out of the kitchen and up to the stairs. "Come on, let's wait in my room while mom makes the sandwiches! I assure you, they are amazing! Just trust me on this!"

Gaz chuckled lightly as Zeke led her to the farthest room on the second floor. There were three rooms on the second floor, one for Zeke, one for her mother, the one where there is a frame with a piece of paper inside with the word 'MOM' in it, and the third one was either a vacant room or a storage since it was obvious that the two of them were the only ones who lived in the house. "So Zeke, what's in that room over there?" Gaz asked as they stopped in front of his room with a frame similar to the other one where the only difference was the text written inside was Zeke instead.

Zeke hummed as he paused from opening his room to look at the door Gaz was pointing at. "That room? No idea, actually. It's locked, and before you ask, no, I don't have the key for it. Mom tells me that it's where she keeps dad's old stuff but I guess I'll never really know until I see the inside for myself."

Gaz blinked at him in confusion. "Dad? I thought it was just you and your mom living here."

"It is only us. Dad passed away years ago, just a few months after I was born so I couldn't really feel bad about it, you know being a baby and all. Also, mom doesn't have any pictures of him around the room, probably because she still loves him and feels sad whenever she sees his face so I couldn't blame her. Anyways," He said before opening the door to his room and motioning for Gaz to come in. "after you, my lady."

As Gaz entered his room, she had to wonder how he was able to say everything he just said in a straight face. Of course she was also able to do that too but that took years of practice and a lot of bad things happening to her in the past and that was what was bothering her. What happened to Zeke in the past that made him what he was today? Then she remembered what he said this morning. _We're more alike than you think._ Those were the exact words he said. It seems that she, too, would learn Zeke's past. She was telling Zeke the truth earlier about telling him about her past. She didn't know why she was going to do it but she had this feeling that if there was one person she should trust, it was him.

Zeke jumped onto his bed and sighed, feeling tired all of the sudden, he decided to close his eyes for a moment. While Zeke was on his bed, Gaz closed the door Zeke failed to close and looked around his room. Gaz actually found it funny how similar Zeke's room was compared to Dib's. From how he acted around her, and what he confess earlier, she expected trophies, and awards littered around his room. What she saw instead were toy models of spaceships, aircraft, and alien figurines on top of the shelves. He even had a poster of a naked fat man, who was apparently drooling with a caption of 'Mysterious Mysteries', pinned to his wall. _Great, the one person I enjoy spending time with is also an alien fanatic._ Gaz sighed. "Well, I guess beggars can't be choosers."

Zeke raised his head and looked at her questioningly. "Did you say something?"

As always, Gaz was nothing but blunt. "Yeah, what's up with this?" She jerked a thumb to the 'Mysterious Mysteries' poster behind her. "Don't tell me you're a fan of that sorry excuse for a tv show because if you are then I'm afraid that I can't be seen in public with you ever again.." She said with a smirk, and Zeke realized that she was joking with him.

"What do you mean? That show is awesome!" He retaliated. "I mean, just last week they've unraveled the mystery of the disappearing toilet paper! Witnesses claimed that it was the work of a UFO," He shouted in an overly dramatic manner. Then he deadpanned when he said, "But it turned out that it was only their brother using it as... you know..." He stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Ugh! Some people are just so disgusting! I mean, who does that?!"

Gaz laughed at his disgusted look before laying down to his bed and resting her head on his chest. "Does that mean that you don't like it?"

Zeke laughed along with her, stroking her hair. "Nope, the reason why I have that poster there is because I love the design on it. I actually got that months ago and only realized recently that it has a tv show. I almost tore the poster to shreds after watching one episode of it."

Gaz sighed wistfully as she got comfortable and wrapped her arms around him, like a huge teddy bear. "That's a relief. For a second there, I thought that I would have to get used to watching that garbage."

Zeke blinked down at her before grabbing her by her waist and hoisting her up until she was resting her head on his shoulder. "Wait, really? You'd actually do that for me?"

Gaz raised an eyebrow without facing him. "Of course. I mean, you'd stuck with me even after you found out I was the one who killed those guys. The least I could do is sit through an episode of that god awful show." She turned her head and leaned a bit so that they were nose to nose. "Also, I'd probably distract myself by cuddling with you."

Zeke smirked as he leaned down and pecked her lips. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you just flirted with me."

Gaz smirked in return, kissing him a little longer than, a little deeper. "Well maybe you shouldn't." She sighed as she once again lowered herself until she was resting her head on his chest. "Is it ok if I sleep here tonight? I'm really not in the mood seeing Dib's face today."

Zeke laughed as she stood from his bed and made his way to his closet. "He's really not that bad, is he? I mean, we hang a lot in skool for the past week and I didn't see any sign if him being weird."

"That's because you two are both obsessed with aliens." Gaz mocked.

"Hey! Obsession is such a strong word..." He shot back, opening his locker and unbuttoning his shirt to change. "I prefer the term 'Like, a lot'" He emphasized as he removed the shirt and he stood there, his upper body naked. Gaz had a full view of his upper body and she could clearly say that she was not disappointed, not one bit. "Like what you see?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and flexing his muscles.

Gaz shrugged, appearing unimpressed with the display. "I've seen better."

Zeke narrowed his eyes at her. "You have? Who?"

Gaz smirked at him, clearly amused by his facial expression. "Jealous, are we?" She teased but deep inside she was pleased by his jealousy. There was this feeling inside her, telling her to make him beg for her. Make him see that there was no other woman for him but her. She stood up and walked towards him. She leaned up and whispered to his ear. "Don't worry, I like it when you're jealous."

Zeke growled as he grabbed her wrists and shoved her against the wall, pinning her wrists above her head. "I am not jealous." He hissed in her ear.

Gaz smirked widened as she struggled to free herself. The adrenaline she got from being restrained was intoxicating. If this was any other guy then she would've probably killed him by now. The thought of Zeke doing _things_ to her was making her heart pump faster. She once again leaned against him. "Could've fooled me."

Zeke leaned back and grinned savagely at her. "Just so you know, I made this room soundproof so that no sound will escape when I try to watch tv in full volume."

Gaz raised an eyebrow, clearly knowing what he meant but decided to play along. "So?"

Zeke's eyes narrowed. "So, that means that no matter what happens in here, my mom would not be able to hear them. Even if you scream at the top of your lungs, no one can hear you."

Gaz shrugged, clearly not intimidated. "I still don't see your point."

Zeke smirk widened as he pressed his body against hers. "Don't temp me Gaz or you'll regret it. I can be a little bit rough, if you know what I mean. So if you keep doing taunting me, I might lose control."

To Zeke's surprise, Gaz was still smiling at him. "So what? Are you just trying to scare me or are just bark and no bite?"

Zeke and Gaz stared at each other in silence for a few more seconds before Zeke sighed and backed off. "You know, one of these days, your pride is going to kill you."

Gaz smirked as she rubbed her wrists and draped her arms around his neck. "Pride? Pride has nothing to do with it. I just find the whole experience invigorating."

Zeke snorted as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Of course you would. You are probably the most confusing girl I've ever met." He sighed for the nth time that day as he gazed down on her. "Were you really going to let me have my way with you?" He asked as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Or were you just teasing my like always?"

Gaz's smirk widened by a margin. "I prefer the term 'encouragement'" She quoted what he said earlier. "I knew you were not going to do anything to me so I tried forcing you to see how far I can go before I need to stop."

Zeke laughed. "Like I said, your pride is going to get you killed someday but then again, I would be there to try and save you."

"You don't sound disappointed."

Zeke shrugged as he pecked her on the lips one more time before Mrs. Mathews knocked on the door.

"Yeah mom?" He called out.

"Lunch's ready!" Mrs. Mathews muffled voice answered from the outside. "I'll leave it out here because I'm going to be a little busy downstairs."

"Ok mom, thanks!"

"Oh, and before I leave, you two better not be doing anything in there." Gaz could practically see her smirking from the other side of the door, clearly amused by her own joke.

Zeke rolled his eyes, smile still in place. "Don't worry mom, it's not something that can get her pregnant!" He laughed when Gaz smacked his shoulder.

"Ok, just checking." There was a slight pause before she spoke again. "But if something does happen don't hesitate to ask for help, ok?"

"MOM!" Zeke shrieked, his face as red as a tomato. The only reply they got his mother's laughter when she started walking away from his room.

"Well... That was interesting..." Gaz commented as she opened the door and took the plate of sandwiches from the table outside Zeke's room.

"Ugh! I can't believe she just did that!" Zeke grunted as he took a brown shirt from his closet and wore it much to Gaz's disappointment.

"I liked you better without the shirt on." She said as she set the plate on the table next to his bed and took two sandwiches and offered the other to Zeke.

Zeke snorted as he took the sandwich and took a bite from it. "Of course you would."

"Now, I did promise you earlier that I was going to tell you about my life. So where should I start." Gaz said as she tapped her chin in thought.

"You could start when you started going to skool." Zeke offered.

Gaz spent the entire day talking about her life to Zeke. She talked about how Dib was already obsessed about weird things at a young age. She also talked about how she blackmailed her teachers just so that she would pass their classes without doing anything. It was almost midnight when Gaz was talking about a green skinned kid who enrolled in Dib's class when Zeke interrupted her so that he could take her home. Gaz declined the offer and told him that she was going to sleep in his room tonight and, to her amusement, Zeke agreed wholeheartedly. It was actually quite surprising how the two of them quickly fell asleep.

* * *

Zeke and Gaz were currently walking on the street towards Gaz's house when she remembered the incident that happened that morning. She remembered waking up earlier than Zeke did so she decided to go downstairs and get a glass of water. When she entered the kitchen, imagine her surprise when she saw Zeke's mom exit from the bathroom with some kind of mechanical device. Mrs. Mathews just smiled politely at her while greeting her a good morning, and she greeted her back and her curiosity got the best of her when she asked what she was holding.

Mrs. Mathers smirked, reminding her of Zeke's, and boasted about her latest device. She proudly explained that it was a device used to unclog a toilet in less than a minute without any effort from the person using it. Not only that but according to her it also prevents clogging from happening again. After her explanation, Zeke entered the kitchen with a yawn and instinctively kissed Gaz on the temple. Zeke glanced to the side when he heard snickering and his eyes suddenly widened when he realized who it came from.

"M-Mom!" Zeke shrieked, red in the face, as he jumped a few feet away from Gaz, who was looking at the scene in amusement. "I-It's not what it looks like!" He stammered, mentally smacking himself on the head for forgetting to check if his mother was there.

Mrs. Mathews simply smiled as she walked past the teens and entered the living room. "It's ok dear. At least I know that you are going to treat her right when the time comes. You are courting her right?" She asked with a raised, delicate brow. Gaz could see the shadow of a smirk on her face and resisted the urge to snort.

"MOM!" Zeke was practically steaming now. He looked at Gaz pleadingly, silently asking for help. To his dismay, she just looked at him pityingly, a hint of a smile on her face. It was quite obvious that she was enjoying this as much as Mrs. Mathews was. He groaned as he sat down and slammed his head on the table. "I give up. You women are more trouble than you're worth."

Mrs. Mathews tsked. "Oh, come now, don't be so dramatic. I'm just teasing with you. Isn't that right, dear?" She asked Gaz who smiled in return with a nod. "By the way, I already cooked breakfast for the both of you so that you could leave early and take her home. Her family must be missing her dreadfully. Did you tell them you were sleeping over, dear?"

Gaz shrugged before answering. "Didn't need to. Dad is almost not home busy with work and when he is, he spends most of his time with his experiments and Dib is probably still in his lab doing who-knows-what. Most of the time, I spend eating dinner alone and when they were there, both of them will just ramble about the things they have done and pretty much ignore me." Gaz shrugged again as she started eating. "I actually prefer being ignored."

* * *

"Gaz! Where have you been!" Dib shouted as he pointed an accusing finger at his sister. "Do you know how worried I was?!"

Gaz could see his hands were shaking slightly. _I didn't think he'd care if I was gone for a day._ She idly wondered. Before she could answer, Zeke stepped in front of her.

"Woah dude, calm down." Zeke said as he raised a hand in front of him.

Dib glared at him. "Don't tell me to calm down! I have every right to be mad right now!"

"Oh really?" She challenged. "And why is that? I can do whatever I want whenever I want and there's nothing you can do about it." Gaz said as she gave him an even stare.

Dib growled as Gaz was once again right. Of course she was right. She was Gaz Membrane! "There's another thing that I've been meaning to ask. Why is Zeke with you?"

Zeke sighed as he once again made his presence known. "Dude, that's what I've been trying to tell you. I've been with her all day yesterday so there's nothing to worry about."

Dib's eyes widened before it narrowed again. "And where were you two all day? You better answer or else-"

"Or else what Dib?" Zeke asked back, clearly losing his temper. "What are you going to do?"

"Yes, son." A voice said as a man exited the house and stood next to Dib. "Please enlighten us in what you are going to do to this fine young fellow." Professor Membrane said as he stared blankly at Zeke.

* * *

 **AN:** Woah, this was a pretty long chapter. In fact, this chapter would have been longer if I wanted it to. So let me ask you guys, should I stick to my normally 2k-3k word chapters or should I starting make these chapters longer?


	18. Reached the Limit

**Disclaimer:** If it hasn't been said yet, I will say it again. Azukka does not own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** This was supposed to be the continuation for the previous chapter and as you can see it is also a bit longer than the average. If I had actually combined the two then the chapter would have been about 8k words long.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Reached the Limit** **"**

"Yes, son." A voice said and all the teens looked back to see a man exit the house and walked next to Dib. "Please enlighten us in what you are going to do to this fine young fellow." Professor Membrane said as he stared blankly at Zeke.

"Well this is certainly surprising." Gaz commented as she stared blankly at the professor. "I'd never thought I'd ever see you during the day. I was actually beginning to think that you were a vampire." She sarcastically quipped.

"Gaz!" Dib gasped. "Don't talk to dad like that! Show some respect!"

Gaz rolled her eyes as she walked past her father and Dib. "Sure, after he actually bothers to stay for more than a few hours in the house then I'll think about it." She said dryly, shooting the professor an icy glare. "Until then, I'll keep treating like how I treat every person I've ever met, with discontent." Before she entered the house, she paused and turned to Zeke. "I'll just go change then we can go to skool, ok?"

Zeke scratched the back of his head. "Uhh... Sure, I'll just be here. Take your time." Gaz nodded before finally entering the house, leaving a tense atmosphere around the men. Zeke turned to Professor Membrane before he slowly approached the two of them. "Good morning, sir." Zeke greeted slowly as he extended a hand to the professor. "I'm Zeke Mathews, Dib's classmate."

Professor Membrane snapped out of his shock when he saw the extended hand and shakily shook it. The professor cleared his throat and spoke. "Ah yes, my son here has told me many things about you!" He shouted, his usual confidence back in place. "Let me introduce myself; I am-"

"The world renowned Professor Membrane, I know." Zeke cut off with a smirk on his face. "You and mom work together, partners actually."

Professor Membrane furrowed his eyebrows as he contemplated what Zeke just said. "Hmm... I'm sorry but you have to be more specific since I have had many partners in my line of work."

Zeke's smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "Mom usually calls you Brainy."

If he didn't wear any goggles, Dib could've seen his dad's eyes widen in surprise. "Wait, you mean Sarah?! Sarah Mathews?! Your her boy?!"

Zeke laughed when the professor suddenly hugged him tightly. "One and only!"

Dib could only gape at the display in front of him. Zeke, the new student he accused as an alien, actually knew who his father was! Not only that, but he also mentioned something about their parents being partners! Dib massaged his temples as he felt a migraine coming on. "Just when I thought life couldn't get any weirder." He muttered to himself, thinking how ironic that he was finding the whole situation weird when he encountered aliens in a daily basis.

"So Zeke, tell me about yourself!" Professor proclaimed as he released the teen. "Wait, before you do, let me explain my work to you!" He cleared his throat as he struck a pose, pointing a finger towards the sun. "As you know, I am a SCIENTIST, and as a SCIENTIST my job requires me to spend most of my time working on experiments on things to make life on Earth more efficient and easier for the betterment of mankind! For years, my inventions have solved many real world problems and still am! I just hope that my children would follow my footsteps when the time comes!" He ended his speech with a booming laugh.

"Cool!" Zeke exclaimed as he too cleared his throat and struck a pose similar to Professor Membrane's. "As for me, I am a STUDENT, and as a STUDENT it is my duty to learn everything I can in skool so that when I graduate I can find work and after I find work I will then help my future family as it is my duty as the man of the family!" Zeke ranted in the same manner Professor Membrane did a while ago.

Professor Membrane rested a hand on Zeke's shoulder and looked at him seriously. "Now boy, I know that your mother is as good as a person can get but I don't know anything about you." He said seriously, his face darkened. "Now I know I don't have to tell you this but if something ever happens to my daughter, I will use you as a guinea pig. You got that boy?"

Zeke nodded with conviction. "Of course Sir, I will personally make it my life's mission to always keep Gaz safe and happy even if it means that I have to sacrifice myself for her."

Professor Membrane nodded back as he rested his other hand on Zeke's shoulders. "Good. That is all I ask you. Now, I am confident to give you my blessings."

Zeke smiled. "Don't worry Sir, I'll make sure to take care of her."

"Woah, woah, woah! Now wait a goddamn minute!" Dib shouted as he squeezed himself between the professor and Zeke and pushed them apart, eyes widened in alarm. "Back up, why are you two suddenly talking about Gaz like she and Zeke are getting married?!" Dib gave Professor Membrane an alarmed look. "Dad, don't you think it's a little too early for marrying her off?! You barely know him and you have already given him your consent! Not to mention we're still both in highskool!" Then Dib turned to Zeke with a raised eyebrow. "And you, what do you mean you'll take care of her? Are you out of your mind?! Look, I'm happy that you and Gaz are somewhat having a functional relationship but why are you agreeing with Dad?!" Dib grabbed a tuft of his hair on each hand and pull down. "Are you two crazy?!" He threw his hands up in the air and stormed inside the house. "You know what, I don't care! You two can do whatever you want but don't you dare include me in all this insanity!"

A few minutes later, Gaz came out of the house, fresh clothes on, and pulled along a protesting Dib. She raised an eyebrow as she gave a questioning look towards Zeke and her father. "Ok, what happened and why is he acting like a spoiled brat all of a sudden?"

Both Zeke and Professor Membrane looked at each other before turning back to Gaz and simultaneously shrugged.

* * *

"Hey Zeke" Dib called as they walked along the streets towards skool. It only took Dib about five minutes before he got over what transpired between his father and Zeke and just accepted it as something that would probably happen in a daily basis. "Can I talk to you for a minute? In private?" Dib emphasized and hoped that Gaz will not snap at him.

The reason why he was afraid was because Gaz was currently leaning on Zeke while he wrapped an arm around her waist as they slowly walked towards skool.

Zeke shrugged his shoulders before removing his arm from Gaz and walked towards Dib.

"What is it?" Zeke asked as they walked a few ahead of Gaz.

"Kat sent me an email last night regarding the Irken in skool. She said that the armor that it was wearing was only half Irken technology while the other is still unknown."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "And that should concern us because...?" Zeke didn't know why Dib was whispering so he asked the question in his usual loud tone of voice.

Dib shushed him and then stole a glance at Gaz. She rolled her eyes and said. "If it's about the Irken that appeared in skool and kidnapped Bitters then you can stop whispering to each other like a bunch of idiots."

Dib's jaw dropped before he turned a glare to Zeke who whistled innocently. "You told her." It wasn't even a question. "Why am I not surprised." Dib sighed as he shook his head.

"Hey, can you blame me? I didn't actually know that I was supposed to keep it from her. Besides, I don't like keeping secrets from her." Zeke said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Anyways," Dib continued as if Zeke didn't make that comment. "My informant told me tha-"

"You mean Kat." Gaz cut him off with a smirk.

"Will everyone just stop interrupting me when I'm trying to explain something!" Dib snapped, clearly mad with everything that had happened that morning. "Like I said, my informant, Kat, sent me an email last night regarding the Irken Invader that took Bitters." Dib took his phone from his pocket and opened the email. "Here, she told me in the email that ever since we've infiltrated the skool, she has been studying the armor the invader has been wearing. According to her, the technology used was not Irken alone." Dib stopped walking before turning to Zeke and Gaz, face serious. "Which means that this is no ordinary invader we are dealing with."

"Wait, why does that matter?" Zeke asked in confusion. "And what do you mean by ordinary, is this Irken doing something that that is not normal for their race?"

"Because Irkens are known to be very conceited and refuse to accept any help from others even from their own race." Gaz explained. It was quite ironic actually how the most uninterested in the group was the one who had the most knowledge about the Irkens since she befriended one of them. "When they are having a problem with something, they tend to keep it to themselves even if it risked their lives." It was then that Gaz remembered a certain incident regarding that.

* * *

 _Gaz groaned as she watched Zim destroy another one of the Game Slaves he stole from the mall. Zim was in one of his phases where he wanted to run some tests on 'primitive monkey technology'. This time it was a Game Slave since he was curious on why Gaz always used it for no other purpose than for entertainment. He wanted to see if he can exploit the device and use it to conquer the world. Since Gaz obviously didn't want him to experiment on her upgraded Game Slave, Zim decided that he was going to steal every game slave in the city, starting from the mall since it was the easiest to locate at such short notice. Normally, when Zim did his experiments, she was perfectly fine with it, but when it involved video games then it was another story._

 _"Zim!" Gaz snapped when Zim accidentally made another device explode as he tried increasing it's battery capacity by ten thousand percent. "Would you stop destroying those?! Do you know how expensive those are?!" If it was any other thing then Gaz would probably care less._

 _"Not now Gaz-friend!" Zim said offhandedly as he took another device and removed the casing so he could start tinkering on the inside. "Zim is quite busy at the moment so it would be advisable to leave Zim alone." Zim turned to the monitor in front of him with a frown on his face. "Computer! Search through the inventory for something that is compatible with this primitive Earth toy!"_

 _"That is not a toy." Gaz gritted her teeth in frustration. They had this argument before and Zim still insisted it was a toy._

 _Zim scoffed as he looked at her incredulously. "Please, human, most of your primitive species use this device as a way of enjoyment. I've researched for hours and found nothing about this thing that tells Zim of any other use._ _If it's not a toy then what is it, Gaz-friend?_ _"_

 _Gaz slapped a hand across her face. "God," she groaned as she gave Zim a tired look. "I've told you before, the Game Slave is a portable gaming system. Not only can you play games on it but you can also search through the web, if you have internet, and also able to watch videos on it."_

 _Zim was not impressed as he huffed and continued tinkering with the handheld device. "Is that it? To Irken standards, that is considered trash, not even a toy. You should be considerate that Zim refers to it as a toy rather than the trash that it is supposed to be."_

 _Gaz's eyes narrowed. "Take that back." She muttered dangerously. Nobody made fun of Game Slaves and lives. "Take back what you just said or there will be consequences."_

 _Zim smirked, liking the challenge. "You do not scare me, Gaz-friend." He said confidently. "For I am Zim, and Zim does not apologize to anyone!" He laughed but after a few minutes he stopped when he realized that Gaz hadn't hit him yet. "Gaz? Where are you human?" He looked around and it was then that he noticed that he was alone. "Are you playing that game called 'Hide and Go Seek'?"_

 _Gaz stormed out of the house, muttering curses towards Zim for being a jerk. She was pissed with him and the only way for her to get over for what he did was to stay away from him for a few days. As it turned out, it was on that few days away from Zim did Gaz realize that he was acting weird. At the first two days, Zim kept sending her messages on her upgraded Game Slave but she would just delete them but at the third day, they stopped coming. It was only by the fourth day she decided to visit him but to her confusion and anger, he forced her away and didn't even tell her why._

 _It was in a week later when she heard the most shocking news of her life._

* * *

"Helloooo!" Zeke said, waving a hand in front of Gaz's face. She was just explaining why the difference in technology was important when she abruptly stopped talking and dazed off. "Anybody in there?" Zeke continued as Gaz failed to respond to him, although she was now aware of her surroundings and was just not in the mood replying. "Well, if you're not then maybe you won't mind if I steal a kiss, right?" Zeke smirked as he leaned forward and kissed her and she immediately returned it.

"Ugh! Could you NOT do that in front of me!" Dib gagged as he closed his eyes and turned away. "Watching you two hold each other is bad enough already."

Zeke laughed as he pulled away from her. "Oh so there was someone in there!" He grinned and took her hand so that they can start walking again. "So, why did you zone out all of a sudden."

Gaz sighed as she rubbed her temples. "To be honest, I can't remember." She wasn't lying though. When she snapped out of her daydreaming, the last thing she remembered was telling Zeke that Irkens were conceited.

Zeke chuckled as he squeezed her hand. "Nothing to worry about then. Let's just continue our discussion during lunch, ok?"

Dib frowned. "Sorry, I won't be able to join at lunch today. Kat said that she needs me later to see if I could help with identifying the technology the invader used. Maybe tomorrow."

* * *

The rest of the day was just any typical day at skool. The only difference was that the popular girls were now scattered amongst themselves. Jes and Gretchen were sitting together at another table during lunch, Zita sitting by her lonesome on the 'popular' table and Kat was nowhere to be seen. While on the 'weird' table, the only people there were Zeke and Gaz.

After skool, Zeke was going home alone since Gaz told him that she was going on an errand, but before he could get out of skool, Zita blocked his path.

"Hey Zita," Zeke greeted with his usual smile. "What's up?"

Zita looked up at him seriously. "Hey Zeke," She started hesitantly. "Uhmm... Can we talk for a bit. It's something that I think that should be discussed between us."

Zeke shrugged as he watched as the last student leave the skool which meant that he and Zita were now all alone in skool. "Sure, what's in your mind?"

Zita sighed as she talked slowly, careful not to sound harsh. "Zeke, you have to stop hanging around Gaz."

Zeke raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting this topic to come so soon. "Woah, where did that come from?" Zeke laughed.

Zita lowered her eyebrows. "This isn't a joke Zeke. I am trying to help you here. She is a bad influence on you."

Zeke's smile disappeared and was replaced with a slight frown, though it was barely visible. "What makes you say that?" He asked in a flat tone. If Zita bothered to actually think about it, never once did Zeke ever talk in a flat tone. Never once did he frown when talking to someone since he always had a smile on his face no matter the situation.

"Don't you see? You're skipping classes! You are always distracted in class! Worst of all, your grades are slipping!" Zita counted off, not once did she bother to look at Zeke's expression.

Zeke clenched his fists, trying to keep his temper in check. He knew where this was going and he wasn't liking it. It was the main reason why he hated his old school. Like he told Gaz, everyone in his school didn't know the real him. All they knew about him were his accomplishments. He moved to this skool because he wanted a fresh start, a place where the other teens would see him for him and not for he was good at.

Zita drew a deep breath, composing and readying herself for what she was about to say. "Is she paying you?"

Zeke blinked at her, not understanding what she meant. "What?"

Zita lowered her head. "I said, is she paying you?"

"Why do you say that?" Zeke asked icily but once again Zita failed to notice it since she was busy thinking of things to convince Zeke to stay away from Gaz.

"I know this is hard to take but Gaz is not who you think she is." Zita sighed as she continued to look at the ground. "She may act like a bad girl but deep inside she is just a-"

 _ **BANG**_

Zita shrieked as a loud sound pierced her ears. Her eyes widened and she looked up to see Zeke's outstretched arm hit the lockers behind her. Terror filled her when she realized that Zeke's arm was only a few inches from her face. "Z-Z-Zeke, wh-what's wrong?!" She stuttered, trying to recover from the shock.

Instead of answering, Zeke punched his other arm on the lockers behind her, effectively pinning her. Zeke's eyes were as cold as ice as he stared at her. Zita curled into herself as Zeke leaned closer to her ear. "You know Zita," He started with a whisper, "I am a pretty laid back guy. You can call me names how much you like and I'd be cool with it. You can tease me all you like and I'd still be cool with it. But," Zeke paused as a frown crossed his face. "But when you accuse Gaz of being something she's not, that's where I draw the line."

"Pl-Please d-d-don't hurt m-me..." Zita pleaded, eyes brimming in tears. This was not what she was expecting when she told Zeke to stay behind. She expected an argument, yes, but not like this. Not only was she defenseless, she also didn't have any ways of escape. "Th-there are cameras around u-us." She tried to warn him but he just chuckled darkly as he ran a finger across her face.

"You know what's funny? Even though this skool has cameras on every hallway, the day guards are too lazy to watch each of them." Zeke started unzipping her jacket. "So no one will ever know what I'll do to you tonight..."

Zita tried to stop him but he was just too strong. "Pl-please Zeke! Don't do this to me! I-I-I'm still a virgin!" She cried, desperately holding on to Zeke's hand.

Zeke snorted before he backed away from her. "Hmph... How pathetic..." He snorted. "I haven't done anything to you yet and you already started crying. Let this be a lesson to you. Next time you try to pull something like this, I won't hesitate." Zeke started walking away as Zita slid to the floor, covering her face with her hands as she cried her heart out. It was now did Zita realize that she was truly alone. No other students, no Zeke, and most importantly, no friends... All because of her obsession in trying to win Zeke over.

Her life was over.

* * *

 **AN:** Wow... Zeke can be a harsh if wanted to be...


	19. Fraud

**Disclaimer:** I interrupt this program to tell you that Azukka does not own Invader Zim, thank you for understanding.

 **AN:** I have a feeling that this is going to be a very fun chapter. I hope you guys do too! I would like to thank ACrystalGolem for joining the team. We are happy to have you here.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Fraud** **"**

"Good morning class!" The substitute teacher, Mr. Andy Roid, greeted them with a creepy smile. "I'm afraid I bear bad news today. It looks like one of the students here, Zita Sanders, is absent. Her mother called this morning, saying that Zita is unable to come since she seems to have caught some kind of flu. I do hope she gets well soon." Even though he sounded sincere, the huge smile on his face never disappeared. "But her absence has caused another problem to occur. Since she is the class president and your homeroom teacher is still absent, we need a volunteer to fill her shoes for the time being." Mr. Roid clapped his hands and looked expectantly at each of the students, who in return tried to look away inconspicuously. "So, any takers?" He asked.

"Me and Dib will!" Zeke raised his hand and pointed the other at Dib, whose jaw dropped at being picked.

Mr. Roid's creepy smile widened as he took a piece of paper and reading out the content. "Excellent! Now, there isn't much to be done anymore since it is already Friday. What you two need to do is to finish hanging up the fliers and handing out pamphlets to each student in the skool. After that, I expect you two to attend the final meeting for the preparations of the upcoming dance which will be around after lunch."

Dib shook his head. "W-Wait a minute, sir, I didn't-"

"No buts Mr. Membrane," Mr. Roid said sternly. "You already volunteered so just do what is to be done. Now class, for today..." He started lecturing.

Dib turned to Zeke and glared at him. "Dude,what was that?" He whispered frantically, irritated at Zeke for forcing him to help. "Why did you do that?!"

Zeke sighed. "I'll tell you later."

Dib sighed and leaned back in his chair. He didn't know what, but he had this feeling that it had to do with Zita being absent today. In fact, he was positive that the reason Zeke volunteered them was so that he could explain what happened to Zita. He just hoped that it wasn't that bad.

* * *

-After class-

"So Zeke, care to explain?" Dib sighed as he carried a bunch of fliers as Zeke posted them on the walls. Looking closely, it was about the upcoming dance next week. To say that things were a riot on the hallway was an understatement. Guys desperately asking girls left and right, and girls hiding from hormonal teens, waiting for the 'right guy' to ask them out. It was like a war out there. Dib sighed in relief when he saw Kat being ignored by the guys. Of course they would ignore her. She was one, if not the most cold-hearted person in skool, just before Gaz. If a guy was bold enough to ask her, she would either turn him down in the most humiliating way by degrading him in front of everyone, or just stare at him like he was the plague until he got too awkward and would walk away. Yep, to say that he was lucky was an understatement.

Dib might regret this later but, at the moment, he was truly grateful for Gaz for forcing him to confess to Kat.

"It's all my fault." Zeke sighed as he leaned against the wall before sliding down to the floor. "I shouldn't have done what I did..."

Dib frowned as he watched the usually high spirited Zeke looking so down. He put the fliers down before plopping down next to Zeke. He turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Zeke sighed as he dragged a hand across his face. "I just... I lost it Dib... I don't know why I did it but I did."

Dib frowned at him. "What do you mean lost? And what did you did?" Dib groaned. "Would you just tell me what you did?"

Zeke rested his head between his knees before releasing a haggard sigh. "I almost...did bad things to her." Zeke almost whispered.

"What things?" Dib didn't know why but he had this feeling that he didn't want to hear what Zeke did. Seeing him so torn up only made it worse. What could he have done that made Zita not come to skool? "Did she try to confess to you?"

"Sort of..." Zeke mumbled.

"So what did you do?" Dib narrowed his eyes. "Zeke, how can I help you when you don't tell me what happened? That's what friends do!" Dib thought it funny that he viewed Zeke as a friend now when just a week ago he accused him of being a mass murderer.

Zeke sighed as he looked up at Dib. Dib was surprised to see how serious Zeke was. "After I tell you what I did, I doubt that you are going to call me your friend." Zeke once again looked down, curling his fists and gritting his teeth. "Dib, I almost raped her..." Zeke mumbled.

Dib's eyes widened in shock. Zeke whispered it but he heard it clearly but that didn't mean that he understood what he just said. "Wh-What?"

Zeke glared at Dib. "What? Do I have to spell it out for you? I almost raped a helpless girl. A girl, who I might add, was just trying to get on my good side." Zeke rubbed his temples. "I need a drink..."

"Wait, hold on," Dib said, looking around them to see if anyone else was there. He sighed in relief when he realized that the bell has rung and everyone is in class except for them. "I understood what you said. What I don't understand is why you did it? I mean, you just said that she was just trying to impress you right? What did she say that made you...almost do _it?_ " For some odd reason, he just couldn't say the word Zeke used.

"She asked me to stay after skool yesterday." Zeke answered. "She said that she had something to tell me, something important. Of course I agreed since I thought she needed my help again. After skool, just as everyone left, she told me to stay away from Gaz."

Dib raised an eyebrow. "That's it? You lost it when she said that?"

Zeke shook his head. "No, let me finish, ok? Anyways, she said that Gaz was a bad influence in me. Told me that Gaz was holding me back." Zeke sighed as he kneaded his knuckles. "Told me that because of Gaz my grades was slipping. I think it was then that I started getting angry." Zeke looked at Dib seriously. "Before I continue, I need to tell you something about me. One of the main reasons why I feel comfortable hanging out with Gaz is that we have similar personalities."

"Are you serious?" Dib asked incredulously. "You and Gaz? Having the same personality?" Dib wanted to laugh but the seriousness in Zeke's eyes made him reconsider. "Oh, you're serious."

"Like I said, we have the same personalities. I'm just better at hiding mine while she doesn't bother to hide hers." Zeke cleared his throat. "Now, back to the topic at hand, like I said Zita wanted me to stay away from Gaz because she didn't want me to fail my grades. Then..." This time, Zeke glared at the ground, his teeth grinding in frustration. "Then she asked this one question: Is she paying you?"

Dib looked at him confusion. "'Is she paying you?' What is that supposed to mean."

Zeke growled as he punched the ground. "She literally asked me if Gaz was paying me to be with her. Dib she insinuated that Gaz is a prostitute."

"She what?!" Dib hissed. Gaz was anything but she was not a prostitute. "Why did she call her that?! She had no right!"

Zeke shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that after she said that, I completely lost it. It was actually a miracle itself when I backed away, moments before I could've done the deed, and left the skool without incident." Zeke groaned into his hand. "I could still see the look on her face when she lost all hope."

"Well, look on the bright side, if you told Gaz about this then she'll probably stop getting her revenge on Zita." Dib tried to make light of the situation and hoped it worked, even though at that moment he wanted nothing more than to storm to Zita's mind and gave her a piece of his mind. Unlike Zeke, he wasn't that affected by what Zita said since he heard worse things before. Then something clicked inside him, if Zeke reacted like that just because Gaz was called a prostitute, he dreaded the person who would actually lay a hand on her.

Zeke snorted as Dib hoped. "You're probably right but we can't be too sure. Your sister is very unpredictable." Zeke looked at Dib and smiled slightly. "Thanks for listening dude and for not jumping to conclusions."

Dib snorted. "No worries, like I said, we are friends and friends help each other out." Dib then felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. "Speaking of more than friends, Kat just emailed me. Let's see..." He said as he read through the email before his eyes widened. "Woah, dude, she said that she found something important. She also said we should include Gaz in our meeting since SOMEBODY decided to tell her." Dib gave Zeke an accusatory look.

Zeke just shrugged his shoulder and stood up. "Your sister is scary, and I don't like lying to her. Also, she seems to know a lot of things regarding aliens too. And she doesn't seem to be interested in them."

 _Trust me, they do._ Dib mentally corrected Zeke, remembering a certain Irken who his sister actually was friends with.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Zeke said as he posted another flier on the wall.

Dib sighed as he and Zeke walked to another hallway. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

-During lunch-

"Ok, now that we're all here, let's get started." Kat said as she put her laptop on top of their table and displayed the image of the Irken Invader. Since their table was on the corner of the cafeteria, Kat only had to face the laptop towards the corner and nobody else but them could see the screen.

"Are you sure it's wise to discuss this here?" Dib asked, clearly the only one worried with being found out since the others were neither concerned nor worried about it. "I mean, someone could be listening to our conversation right now." He whispered before his eyes widened. "What if they're recording what I'm saying right now and going to use it to capture us!"

Kat gave Dib a deadpan look before sighing. "Are you done? We don't have much time to joke around since you two geniuses decided to do volunteer work."

Dib glared, crossing his arms across his chest. "Hey! You can't all the blame on me! It was Zeke who forced me into it!"

"I'll tell you later." Zeke told Gaz as the latter gave him a questioning look. Gaz nodded her head before turning back to Kat.

"We're getting sidetracked, if you look at this picture here, you can see that I made it more clearer, giving us a more detailed look on the Irken. From a glance, we can already tell that this Irken is different from the usual invader." Kat explained, circling her finger around the image of the Irken.

"Wait, you said that you've stayed in this planet for a few years now and have no contact with your species, right?" Zeke asked. "If that is the case then how do you know that this Irken is different? For all we know, they could've come up with different strategies and armors for each planet they try to conquer."

Kat nodded in satisfaction. "That is a very accurate observation and also a very good question. You are right about us not knowing what type of advancement they have made since I've left but the problem is not how far advance they have become but the fact that the armor the Irken used is an outdated one. You see, the Irkens constantly change their armor every year for diversity. We don't want our enemies to create weaknesses for us because of our armor so we always change it to be drastically different from the last one. The fact that the Irken in this picture is using Irken technology from years ago makes him odd and that's not counting the fact that the other half of the technology it's using is still unknown to me."

"Do you play video games?" Gaz suddenly spoke and everyone on the table turned to her. "Let me repeat, do you play video games?"

Kat's eyes narrowed at her. "What are you talkin about? Like I said, this is no time for games. We have a serious problem in our hands in the form of a mysterious invader."

Gaz shrugged. "That's a no then. Just to let you guys know, that armor that thing is wearing is found in Vampire Piggy Hunter. The armor he's wearing is very reminiscent to the main protagonist's armor. In fact, the only thing's missing is the cape to complete the look."

Dib rubbed his chin in thought. "So what you're saying is, is that this Irken is wearing an armor based on a video game? That only makes things even more complicated!"

"No." Kat said curtly, eyes wide in alarm. "That only narrows the possibilities to certain degree. Think about it, this Irken has access to Irken technology but only limited to the past couple of years ago, he also has enough knowledge about video games that he is able to create an armor based on the main character and combine it with Irken, and most of all, this Irken hasn't shown his face yet, meaning he's waiting for the right moment to strike. I already have a guess on who this mysterious Irken is, and Dib, you won't probably like it."

* * *

 **AN:** Oh? Who could it be? I think most of us already know who it is but we can't really be sure, right? I mean, it can't be that obvious... Can it?


	20. Assumptions

**Disclaimer:** Azukka does not own Invader Zim, because if he did then the whole show would've been cancelled because of how boring it would be.

 **AN:** I wonder if anybody has any idea what is happening. The four of them seem to think that they're in control.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Assumptions** **"**

" I already have a guess on who this mysterious Irken is, and Dib, you won't probably like it." Kat said gravely, looking at Dib.

Dib frowned in confusion, not having any clue who she was hinting about. Suddenly he froze, realization kicking in. "N-No..." He stuttered out, disbelief on his face. "That must be a mistake!" He argued, his eyes frantic, and slammed a hand on the table so hard that other teens turned their heads towards the noise. When the teens realized that it came from the 'weird' table, they returned to their idle chatting.

"Dib! Stop that! You're drawing attention!" Kat scolded as Dib started breathing heavily.

"It's not possible." Dib whispered to himself, apparently not hearing Kat. "He's dead... I saw him die myself..."

Dib's eyes slowly widened as he clutched his coat tighter. "He's probably back to get his revenge on me!" He said in a traumatized voice. "He's going to kill me..."

While Dib was busy talking to himself, and Kat busy in trying to talk some sense into him, nobody other than Zeke noticed Gaz spacing out. He was about to try and get her out of it but decided against it. Whatever she was thinking about, Zeke was not going to interfere with it.

* * *

-Flashback-

" _G-Gaz... There's something I need to t-tell you..." Dib stuttered, nervous beyond belief. "You see, something happened earlier that I think you need to know about..."_

 _Gaz, who was busily playing her Game Slave, ignored Dib entirely. She knew that he was trying to tell her something but knowing him, it was probably related to aliens and she was currently not in the mood listening to those kind of things. Normally when Dib sounded serious, she would actually listen to what he was probably going to say but still keep her attention to the game she was currently playing. But right now, she wasn't really in the mood. It was only a few days ago that Zim suddenly shut her out and didn't tell her why. It infuriated her how hurt she was actually feeling. She wasn't supposed to feel sad, she was just supposed to shrug it off._

 _Dib frowned when he realized that Gaz wasn't at least trying to pretent to listen to him as she was wearing headphones. It was now or never. He breathed in deeply and prepared for the worst._

" _Gaz..." He started, confidence slowly dwindling as he got close to telling her the news. "Zim is dead..."_

 _This time, Gaz rolled her eyes but still kept in on the screen. "Good... He's overconfidence probably got him captured or something like that."_

 _Dib sighed, knowing that she misinterpreted what he said. "Gaz..._ _He's dead... He got killed in our last fight._ _" Just before he was going to continue talking, a hand suddenly grabbed him by the throat and held him suspended a foot off the floor. Dib didn't have time how a girl Gaz's size was able to lift him off the ground because he was trying very hard to breathe._

" _G-G-Gaz... Please..." He choked out. "I-I can't breathe..."_

 _Gaz looked at him impassively and tightened her hold on his neck before letting him go. Dib tried to breathe in deeply but could barely get any air in. Before he could catch his breath, Gaz lifted him up once again by pulling him up by the collar of his coat and pressing him to the wall._

" _What happened." It wasn't even a question. It was more like a demand and Dib was all too willing to oblige to what ever she wanted him to do. "If you lie to me then you better believe me when I tell you that I'm going to do unimaginable things to you." She lifted her free hand and Dib could practically see her nails reflect the sunlight coming from the outside. Dib didn't have time to question himself on why he was getting scared of her nails because he was busy trying to make Gaz let him go._

" _Gaz..." Dib gasped, still trying to recover from the lack of oxygen. "It was an accident... He was going to try and make his experiments kill me but his plan backfired and they attacked him themselves..."_

 _Gaz glared at him before releasing him once again. "Explain. Now."_

 _As Dib explained to Gaz on what happened, Gaz was only half listening to what he was saying. She was more busy trying to figure out why Zim left her out, she didn't even hear what he was doing and what killed him. Dib said that Zim once again had a plan to take over the Earth but first he was going to destroy him and everything that will get in his way. Of course, just like his other plans, it backfired on him tenfold. Unlike his other plans though, this time there wasn't going to be a next time. Because this time, he was gone for good._

" _Stop. I've heard enough." Gaz said as Dib continued talking about Zim's plan which she didn't care to hear. "If that is all, I'm going to my room." She announced as she turned around and walked up the stairs._

 _Dib looked at her, mouth agape. "Wait, that's it?" He asked incredulously. When she didn't stop walking, Dib continued. "I thought you two were friends! Is that how your supposed to react after learning your friend died? Your only friend?" He persisted. It was only then did Gaz stopped walking , she was at the top of the stairs by this point, and turned to him, cold, calculating eyes staring directly at his._

 _Gaz started at him for a few more seconds before she started talking in an even, uninterested tone. "Friends? Since when did I ever state that me and that alien were friends?" She snorted before turning back towards her room. "He was only a tool for me. He was able to upgrade my Game Slave so I don't have to buy another one ever again so I thought he was useful in my cause. It's too bad that he died earlier than I expected." Gaz opened the door to her bedroom but didn't enter._

 _She gave Dib a sideways glance. "One more thing," she gave him a glare and Dib instinctively backed away, "Having friends is just telling everyone that you need someone to depend on. Dependency is a weakness. Trusting someone is a sure way of getting stabbed in the back. Remember this Dib, if you really want to depend your life on someone else, then be prepared to lose yourself. You know why? Because when that someone leaves you, you will have nothing." Before Dib could ask her what she was talking about, Gaz entered her room and slammed the door shut._

 _If Dib had known, he would've tried to ask her what she meant. If Dib had known, he would have probably tried to comfort her because what Dib failed to see was a single tear rolling down Gaz's cheek when she turned to him on the stairs. Because if Dib had known, he would've been able to stop Gaz from shutting herself further inside. From that day on, Gaz had now completely detached herself from everything except her video games._

 _-End of Flashback-_

* * *

"Gaz?"

Gaz was snapped from her daydreaming as Zeke tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to him questioningly and If it was someone else, she would've glared at them until they ran away from fear.

"The bell just rang and lunch is over." He stood up and offered his hand to hers. "Dib and Kat went ahead and forgot about us since they're still arguing about the identity of the mysterious alien." He chuckled and pulled Gaz up as she took his hand. "I actually find it quite funny how the ever-serious Kat is losing her cool over Dib's paranoia."

Gaz offered him a smile as he started guiding her back to class. If it was anybody else, Gaz would've insulted them and told them to buzz off before she would beat them to a pulp.

"Dib has that effect on people, driving them mad even just by his mere presence." Gaz said as they walked out of the cafeteria.

Zeke snorted. "If that's the case then that makes me insane since I actually like hanging around Dib. Everyone, not including you, keep telling me that Dib is weird and or insane. Why in the world would they think that believing in aliens instantly qualifies you as being weird or insane? That just doesn't make sense! I mean, I believe in aliens but they don't think I'm weird!"

Gaz snorted. "Maybe because you don't look the part."

Zeke glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Gaz rolled her eyes. "What I mean is, is that you don't actually walk around skool announcing to everyone in the vicinity how you think aliens are going to invader Earth and kill everyone in a daily basis. Also, I'm pretty sure it also has to do with how excited he always sounds when he talks about dissecting some of them if he is able to capture one."

Zeke blinked as they turned a corner. "Well, if you put it that way..."

"Well here we are..." Gaz drawled as they stopped in front of her classroom. The students inside murmured in excitement when they saw Zeke kiss Gaz on the cheek before waving goodbye. Gaz rolled her eyes at his ignorance before walking to her seat at the back of the room, trying to ignore the looks her classmates were giving her.

'Did you see that? Who would've thought that Gaz had a boyfriend!'

'Did a hot guy just kiss that weirdo? Life is so unfair!'

'Dude, he totally stole the girl I was planning on asking to the dance! Where am I going to find a hot chick now?!'

Gaz tried to ignore the whispers around her as she sat on her chair. On the outside, her facial expression stayed in it's neutral state, like always, but on the inside. _When I get my hands on him, he is so dead._ Gaz thought in mild irritation as the other students continued stealing glances at her. This kept up until the end of skool and her irritation has already reached its peak so when someone touched her, she turned around and punched them in the face.

"Ow! What did I do?!" Dib squeaked as he rubbed his heavily bruised nose. He and Zeke had just finished posting the flyers and saw Gaz when she was about to leave skool so he decided that he should tell her what their current plan was. Although, now that he thought about it, he actually didn't need to tell her since Zeke would probably do the honors since he loved talking to her about their secret plans that was supposed to be kept secret from everyone else.

Gaz snorted as she continued walking, as if punching Dib on the face was a normal occurrence, which it was. She had no time belittling Dib since she had a certain black haired boy to scold. The question now was, where was he?

* * *

 **AN:** Woah... Sorry for the super long delay of this chapter. Things happened and the next thing you know, you are sleeping in your mother's house for the next two weeks... So... Here's the next chapter guys! Hope you enjoy it!


	21. Perfect Subject

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Invader Zim then it would probably get canceled by episode 5.

 **AN:** Bump.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Perfect Subject** **"**

"Let me go!" She shrieked as she tried in vain to break the chains around her wrists while she was laying down on a metallic surgical bed. Struggle as she might, the metallic chains were just too strong and she began to lose strength. "Where are you?!" She continued shouting to the top of her voice. Ever since she was kidnapped, she was subjected to experiments that made her feel like she was being torn apart from the inside. Chemicals and other fluids were injected inside her body, making her feel lightheaded but still conscious enough to know that tests were still conducted on her. Even though her whole body felt numb, looking at all the needles pierced through her skin made her wince.

She also remembered when she was dissected.

"Interesting..." A feminine voice said just outside of her vision, no matter how much she craned her neck. "It seems that we have actually found the perfect specimen for our experiments." She could hear scribbling behind her, probably from the person behind her writing on some paper. "I must say, she is probably the best candidate we can find in this city."

"Come out of here and show yourself!" She shouted at the voice, now having someone to yell at gave her energy to double her efforts in trying to break off the chains.

"Astounding..." The voice said, clearly ignoring her, and she heard more scribbling. "Even though anesthesia was administered to her body, she's still able to exert that much force. Astounding indeed." Even though the words she said were of amazement, it was still said in a monotone. "Seems like I still need to run more tests to see how much her body reacts to certain chemicals."

She gritted her teeth as her temper rose higher. If there was one thing she hated more than being restrained, it was being ignored. One would think that teaching in a classroom filled with children would increase her patience but no, she still easily angered by the smallest of things. "Let me go at once or face the consequences!" Even though her threat was hollow, she still threatened the person restraining her.

"Subject still seems to be able to communicate." The female voice said, probably to a recorder. "Will now administer Experiment Z on her bloodstream and will observe how her body will react to it." She continued talking as the person finally came into view. As she had guessed, it was a female, a female doctor to be exact. The doctor looked impassively down at her while holding a syringe filled with red fluid, probably 'Experiment Z', in her hand. "Administering Experiment Z now." The doctor then pierced the syringe through her arm, face apathetic.

The moment the red fluid entered her body she felt cold. Then without warning, she could feel her bones cracking and most of her muscles cramping. Screams filled the entire floor as pain shot through her body and if the chains weren't holding her down she would've probably started thrashing around. The pain she was going through was unbearable and there was nothing she could do about it. She tried gritting her teeth but the screams kept coming out.

"Subject seems to have involuntary movements and she also seems to be in a state of hysteria." She and the doctor continued staring at each other, but to her horror, the doctor's face was still apathetic as if she was just watching something mundane. For the first time in her long, long life, a chill ran up her spine. Never had she encountered someone as cold as the person in front of her. She could feel the doctor's cold eyes pierce through her. She didn't know if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she could have sworn that the doctor hadn't blink since she came into view. "Interesting indeed. Will inject an additional amount of Experiment Z in her bloodstream and await for further results in the morning." The doctor said in a monotone while injecting more red fluid in her body. "Then I will calibrate the brain, depending on the results, to see if it would accept verbal input rather than signals."

Even as the doctor left the room, she could still feel her body growing colder and her bones were starting to reform. She continued screaming as her muscles were tearing apart when her bones grew bigger and thicker. As she screamed, she could feel her teeth growing longer and sharper, vision grew sharper, her sense of smell became so strong that she could actually distinguish each chemical inside the room. Without her notice, her voice grew deeper, and deeper until it sounded demonic. Her nails were so sharp that they dug through the metallic bed with ease, not that she could take advantage of that since she was still too much in pain to even think straight. Suddenly, just as the chains around her wrist were starting to break, electricity ran through her body and metallic straps wrapped around her body, further keeping her in place. Her head tossing and turning from shear pain.

Just as she thought that she would die, sleeping gas entered her lungs and she fell unconscious immediately. Even as she was asleep, her body was still transforming to the point that she barely look human anymore. The only way for anyone to recognize her was because of her humanely shape and the fact that she was still wearing her glasses.

As Bitters lay there slumbering, the doctor was observing her through another room, looking at her rapidly mutating body with apathy.

"Good job, Alpha," The female doctor said, turning to look up at a towering figuring standing stoically behind her. Without waiting for it's response, she continued, "According to the readings I've got from the tests we conducted and from what is happening in there right now, I'm one hundred percent sure that we will succeed this time." She once again looked back to the Bitters, now seeing the elderly woman's fangs started to protrude from her mouth.

The figure behind her continued to look in front of it, not moving an inch.

"Interesting, isn't it?" The doctor asked rhetorically, "Never have I ever encountered such an amazing specimen, even amongst its species. From my understanding, their species' average lifespan is up to a hundred earth years but this one clearly surpassed that by a large margin. From this one we can gain enough knowledge for future projects. For now though, we shall wait and see." She finished talking while a helmet in the shape of a Game Slave was being lowered to be placed on her head, completely covering the upper part of her face and only showing her mouth below. After the helmet was secured, the front portion lighted up like flashlights on either side like she was wearing glasses.

* * *

 _The next day (Tuesday)_

Zita was walking through the streets with a hood over her head. She decided that she wouldn't go to skool that day because she was still unnerved from what Zeke _almost_ did to her. Actually, now that she thought about it, she probably wouldn't have minded if he didn't stop. She didn't know why she was having those kinds of thoughts but she couldn't care regardless. Then that would mean that whatever he was going to do to her, he would have her consent.

Zita shook her head, trying to get back at the task at hand. Even if she wasn't able to convince Zeke to leave _her_ alone, maybe she would be able to convince her mother. If her theory was right, Zeke's mother would probably do what's best for her son and what's best for him is his education. Not only that, she could probably leave a good impression on her mother and thus win her favor. It was a brilliant plan even it if meant that she was going to be absent from skool for a day. Like they say, sacrifices must be done.

Zita sighed as she saw the Zeke's house from the distance and was now having second thoughts. She didn't know when it became personal but at the beginning it was always about his future. When he first enrolled to their class, she thought he was just some pretty boy with peanuts for brains. It was actually Gretchen who had the brilliant idea of approaching him the next day. She was first hesitant approaching him because she didn't want to get roped in whatever idiotic world the boy though he lived in. But, infuriatingly, Gretchen used her position as president as her reason, saying that it was supposed to be her job to help the new students get comfortable with their new class. With a groan, she and the other girls approached Zeke with smiles on their faces. Well, hers was for appearances' sake and Kat might as well not be there since she was ignoring him entirely, per usual.

So, like she did for previous new students, she greeted him with a bright smile which he returned. It was actually by that time where guys would act 'cool' and try and impress them, as if they would fall for some lame pickup lines, well, maybe Gretchen would. It was actually quite sad really, transferring to new schools, making a fresh start and all that, only to realize that the world doesn't revolve around them like you usual cartoons and whatnot.

Then something interesting happened, unlike the previous pretty boys, he was watching them with a critical eye. She almost broke her mask when she noticed that he was then focusing on her, and the fact that he was just staring at her eyes the whole time almost unnerved her. To her relief, he moved his focus to Gretchen, then to Kat, she could've sworn that his eyes slightly twitched, and finally to Jess. When it looked like he was not going to talk, she decided to introduce herself first.

That was when she started getting interested in him and decided to do a little investigation and what she found out about him left her mouth wide open. It wasn't as if she was looking through secret government plans, or things like that but something told her that this was far more surprising than that. Awards, accomplishments, recommendations, all those things that can only be achieved by people who devote all their lives in studying and will disregard everything else. She couldn't believe what she was reading and it also made her doubt if it was real or not. It was an article about a certain genius that wasn't only smart but also really good at sports, according to the article at least.

Article by article, news clipping, and other sources she have searched through about him, nothing but praises for Zeke Adrian Mathews, a genius among geniuses. A prodigy among his school's athletes. Perfect attendance, perfect exams, heck he even did some volunteer work. While all these were amazing, what she wanted to know was why he transferred to a new school, and why their skool specifically. Then the next day came and Zeke was she was hearing rumors about Zeke and Gaz Membrane together and that's when she drew the line.

Unlike Dib, Gaz skipped her classes and when she went in, she would spend the whole time ignoring her teachers. She really didn't care what the female Membrane did with her life but if there was a possibility that Zeke would be influenced by her then she would feel guilty that she didn't do anything to prevent it. And now? Now here she was, walking towards Zeke's house and try to convince his mother to make Zeke stop seeing Gaz for the sake of his grades.

At long last, Zita was now in front of the door and was ready to knock. She took a deep breath, raised her hand, and was about to knock when it opened. To say that she was shocked to what she saw was an understatement. The woman in front of her was tall, very tall actually. She was at least a foot taller than her and she had wavy black hair and black eyes. If she looked closely, she could see that the woman was not wearing any makeup except for some lipstick and she felt a little jealous how beautiful she was.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked nicely, although her eyebrow was raised, making her look like Zeke.

Before Zita could say anything she was interrupted by a voice behind her.

"Zita? What are you doing here?"

* * *

 **AN:** Well, here you guys go! I hope you enjoy! A little bit of back story for Zita!


	22. Power

**Disclaimer:** Hey, this is a test to see if anyone is reading this. Azukka does not own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** I think this is a chapter that I really liked writing. I don't know how much of myself is being expressed here but I think it's pretty huge.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Power** **"**

"Zita? What are you doing here?"

Zita turned just in time to see both Zeke and Gaz walk from the sidewalk to the front of the door, Zeke with a confused look on his face while Gaz just gazed at her impassively.

Before Zita could answer, Mrs. Mathews cut in. "Hello dear, you're home early." Her tone was questioning.

Zeke sighed as he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah... Funny story actually. You see I-uh... Something happened at skool and uhm..." He crossed his eyes, trying to find the right words to say.

Gaz rolled her eyes when Zeke took his precious time in finding answering and decided to intervene. "He and Dib caused an explosion that destroyed a fourth of the skool and was able to bluff his way so that the principal thought it was just an _accident_." She drawled as if she found the subject itself boring. "I don't know how these idiots did it but I don't particularly care as long as we got out of skool early."

Zeke scoffed as she shot Gaz a dirty look. "Like I told the principal, there is no way for you to prove that we've done it. Just because we were _near_ the room doesn't particularly mean that we have something to do with what happened."

Gaz was about to point something out when Mrs. Mathews once again cut it off. "Come in kids, why don't finish it on the living room while I make you some snacks, ok?" She said with a lopsided smirk on her face, making Zita remember that she was currently looking at Zeke's mom. The resemblance was uncanny if she said so herself.

* * *

"So Zita," Zeke started as the teens situated themselves on the couch with Zeke and Gaz on the two-seater while Zita sat on the opposite end. "You never answered my question."

"Which one?" Zita asked even though she already knew what he meant. "I'm still shocked that you were actually allowed to leave early after what you and Dib did."

Zeke pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Hey, just because we were there when it happened doesn't mean we did it. I mean, it could have been an accident or maybe somebody wanted to leave skool early so that they could some quality time with someone they like and decided to mix random chemicals to see what would happen and hope it would explode in a non threatening matter." He exclaimed in one breath with a straight face, not giving away any emotion at all.

Listening to the exchange, Gaz couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was quite obvious that Zita was trying to change the subject, noticing how she averted her eyes when Zeke would start questioning her again. Of course, she probably could've guessed why she was acting like that in the first place. She wasn't planning on calling her out though since she really didn't care about her and decided to just listen to whatever the two other teens were talking about.

"So? Are you going to answer me now?" Zeke insisted, looking directly at Zita.

Zita sighed and nodded her head. "I was planning on convincing your mother to make you stop hanging around Gaz." When Zeke was about to speak, Zita raised a hand to stop him. "Let me explain. Like I said yesterday, Gaz is a bad influence on you, no matter how you look at it. I know you told me your reasons yesterday on how you want to live your life like a normal teenager but there are other ways for you to do that. Listen, you can hang around the other students in skool and you can still have fun and act normal like you wanted. Please Zeke, it's not that I don't think you are becoming a bad boy, it's just that I worry that your future will be in jeopardy if you keep this up." Zita pleaded.

Zeke sighed as he rubbed his temples in thought. "Zita, I don't want a repeat of what happened yesterday so please stop forcing me." Zeke sighed as he leaned back on the sofa. "I know that you are just trying to look out for me. I know that you think that what you're trying to do is what's best for me but it's not. We both know that the only reason why you are so invested in me is because it involves Gaz."

Zita frowned. "No, it's not. I mean, sure, I want you to stay away from her but that is because of her reputation."

"That's because you are afraid of me, isn't it?" Gaz stated, finally voicing out her thoughts. "You're afraid that Zeke would eventually be more popular than you and since he hangs around me that means that I would also be popular and you don't like that." Gaz explained, looking at her nails while doing so. "Look, I could care less about what other people think of me. In fact, I rather be left alone than be swarmed by idiots who can't think for themselves." Gaz raised her head and stared intently at Zita. "You know what is important to me?"

Zita gulped nervously, clearly not liking where this was going. "Wh-What?"

Gaz smiled evilly. Zita couldn't help but lean back as she saw Gaz smile for the first time. Never ins her life had she ever imagined what her smile looked like and here it was.

"Power..." Gaz whispered. "In this world, power is everything. Strength, intelligence, attraction, influence, money and more. Without power, there would be chaos. Without power, this world of ours would be ruled by idiots who think that everything could be achieved through honesty, and kindness." Gaz sneered. "That makes me sick."

"B-But honesty is the best p-p-policy!" Zita stuttered out. "If we only help each other, I know that we can achieve anything our hearts desire!"

Gaz snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Help each other out? For what purpose? So that the other people can use us for their personal gain? Even you use underhanded tactics. The way you use the guys affection towards you as a way to get things done your way is an example of that."

"That's different!" Zita hissed, keeping her voice low so that Mrs. Mathews wouldn't hear her outburst. "It's the only way I can think of to maintain control over the class without resorting to violence! You think I like using underhanded tactics?! I do what I must for the sake of reputation of the class."

Gaz smirked once again, looking down at Zita as if she was a little kid. "Keep telling yourself that. You know what I think? I think you like the power of being able to control your classmates like puppets. That Gretchen girl for instance, you try and act like she is your friend when in reality you are just using her for your own personal gain."

Zita slammed her hands on the table in front of her, already starting to lose her temper. "That's not true!" She shrieked, wincing at how loud her voice was, she whispered the next part. "That's not true! She is one of my true and only friends! We have been friends for as long as I can remember and nothing will ever change that!" She defended. What she was saying was true though, for the most part at least. She would admit to herself that at the beginning she really was just using the other purple haired girl as someone to hang out with but she grew on her until she was comfortable on calling her friend.

Gaz's smirk never left her face as she continued taunting the purple haired girl. "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure that your friendship ended when Kat decided to transfer to our table."

Zeke frowned as he tried to intervene. "Gaz..."

Gaz held her hand up, silencing him. "Let me continue. If she was truly your friend, and the others on that matter, then why did you not try and stop her from running away? Why did you not try to console her after the incident?"

"I-I... That is..." Zita couldn't even find a decent excuse for her past actions and instead looked down in shame. Gaz was right. If she was a real friend then she wouldn't have second guessed herself in running after her. Instead, she stayed behind because she was trying to think of a way to get Zeke away from her. With that in mind, she looked up and glared at the smirking female in front of her. "It's because of you!"

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Me? What does your _friendship_ have to do with me? If you ask me, Dib should be the one to be blamed."

Zita gritted her teeth, trying really hard not to scream. "I don't know how you did it but I do know that you are the one behind it! There was no way Dib would be brave enough to give a letter to Kat. You must've forced him to do it just to spite Gretchen and destroy our trusts between each other!"

Gaz rolled her eyes again. "You keep accusing me of things that are just mere speculations. Do you even have concrete proof? You keep pointing fingers at me and you can't even back it up." Gaz then gave her a shooing motion. "If I were you, I'd leave now. You're just embarrassing yourself in front of your so called crush."

Zita turned to Zeke and saw the disappointed look on his face, whether it was pointed towards her, she didn't know. She looked down, defeat written on her face. She stood up and said her goodbyes before walking towards the door. Before she could leave though, Gaz called her name.

"One other thing, Zeke was the one chasing after me. Him, not me." Gaz smirked as she saw Zita's eyes narrowed and a frown forming on her face. "In fact, he will do everything I say like a little puppy." She mocked, making Zeke look at her incredulously. Gaz's smirk widened when Zita practically slammed the door shut and stomped her way home.

Silence filled the room as Zeke once again turned to Gaz and shook his head. "You do realize that she's now going to make this harder on both of us, right?"

Gaz shrugged as she leaned her head on Zeke's shoulder, making herself comfortable. "So? Playing with her was becoming boring. She needed a little... Push if you will... to motivate her in our little game. I mean, what's the point in playing the game when the enemy is not even a player?"

Zeke scoffed and shook his head. "I can't believe you. So you're telling me that you are just trying to make her angry at you so that things will get excited?"

Gaz shrugged again. "Pretty much. Also, I was also getting back at her for blaming everything at me."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "But wasn't she right? You did force Dib to send that letter."

"Your point?"

Zeke sighed as he leaned back on the couch and thanking his mom when she bought in sandwiches. "Whatever, I'm just going to ignore what just happened and enjoy my sandwich."

* * *

Zita continued muttering curses as she walked briskly back to her house. Oh how she hated that Membrane girl. To think that she tried being civilized with her, only to be mocked. If she was determined before, now she will everything she could just to get her out of the picture. Zita smiled evilly to herself as she started planning on how to get rid of Gaz Membrane. She kept talking about power, well, she was going to see power alright. The power of money.

While Zita was planning on how to get rid of Gaz, she didn't notice the figure on the rooftops following her. Just as she entered an alleyway, the figure threw a net at her and activated the electricity that shocked the girl to unconsciousness.

The figure jumped down to the alleyway and checked to see if Zita was still alive. "Target has been neutralized and will be transported back to base." The figure said in a robotic voice.

"Excellent..." A female voice sounded inside the figure's helmet. "Bring her to the laboratory immediately... We shall now commence step two of the plan."

"Affirmative..." The figure said before hefting Zita to their back and jumped to the rooftops.

* * *

 **AN:** Poor Zita... Well, hope she'll live!


	23. Hide and Seek

**Disclaimer:** Tick tock goes the clock... This story is not own by Azukka...

 **AN:** I wonder what would happen to our dear friend Zita... Let's find out, shall we?

BTW... Happy Halloween!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Hide and Seek** **"**

Zita groaned as she massaged her aching head.

 _Oh my God... What happened? Last thing I remembered was storming out of Zeke's house and then nothing..._

Zita squinted her eyes open as she peered at the dangling light above her.

 _Where am I? More importantly, how did I get here?_

Zita uneasily got up and looked around, trying to remember what happened to her. The first thing she noticed was inside a room. A room with no doors or windows.

"H-Hello..." Zita called, her voice echoing around her. "Is anybody there?" She called again but to her dismay nobody replied.

Zita felt like crying but she swallowed her fears and decided to find a way to escape from... wherever she was. The first thing she did was to try and see if she could find a switch or something like that. When she touched the wall, she could feel the coldness of it.

 _Ok... So I'm trapped inside some sort of metallic room... Nothing wrong there... There are probably cameras hidden in here to try and observe me... Ok, that only made this whole thing worse..._

Zita shook her head from her thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about weirdos and stalkers. Now was the time to find an escape. With that in mind, Zita had a determined look on her face as she redoubled her efforts. Just before she could try and push through a wall, a beeping sound could be heard around her. She was so surprised that she yelped and fell back.

"I see you're awake..." A female voice sounded. "Good morning Ms. Collins, I hope you had a wonderful sleep last night." She continued in a monotone voice. "How are you feeling?"

Ignoring the question, Zita looked up. "Where am I?! What did you do to me?! More importantly, why do you know my name?!" Zita demanded as she tried to look where the voice came from. She darted her eyes frantically around the room.

"My apologies, your capture was nothing personal. We just needed someone as a... test subject..."

Zita paled, fearing what the voice meant by that statement. "T-Test subject?! Test subject for what?!" Zita stuttered out.

"I'm sorry, but that is classified information. All you need to know is that the test would be how long you can hide. You will be given a 1 minute head start and you can use anything in this facility to protect yourself."

Zita's eyes widened at that. "Hide?! Hide from what?! And what do you mean by protecting myself?! You still didn't answer my previous questions!" Zita shouted at the top of her lungs. Not only was she kidnapped and hidden some sort of 'facility', she was also supposed to be hiding from something inside as well. "Answer me!"

"I'm sorry, but that is classified information." The female voice repeated. "Also, you should know that everything you do, say and think is going to be recorded to be studied for future experiments... Now, your 1 minute head start starts now..."

As the voice said that, the wall behind Zita opened up to a dark hallway.

"I would also advice you to keep quiet." The voice said before a beeping sound rang inside the room and then everything was quiet again.

Zita didn't waste anytime and walked out of the room, trying to find a way out. As she walked around, she noticed that she was inside some sort of office building where there were multiple rooms on each corner of each hallway. As she walked through a hallway, she couldn't help but notice that everything from floor to ceiling was white. Zita screamed as she heard a loud bang from somewhere around her. Not trusting anything at the moment, she started running.

 _Ohmygoshohmygoshoymygosh..._

Zita kept running around the hallways, and ignored the rooms around her. Instincts was telling her to find a suitable place to hide but her rational side was telling her to find an exit out this place. She still didn't know if there actually was anything else inside this place but she wasn't going to wait and find out. As she continued running, she heard the distinct sound of another wall opening up, probably releasing the occupant from that room. Just then, a piercing scream reverberated around the facility, making Zita stop in her tracks and cover her ears in pain.

"Wh-What was th-that?" She whimpered as she tried to stop the ringing in her ears. Whatever _that_ was, she didn't wait to find out as she started running again. If there was one thing Zita didn't regret at that moment, it was that she was glad that she started jogging when she was in grade skool. As she ran, she saw tables and chairs all sorts of shapes and sizes. It was as if this place was designed as a place to play hide and seek with, more like 'hide and try to stay alive for as long as you can'.

As Zita turned to a corner, she immediately stopped as she stared widely in front of her. Just at the end of a hallway was something that was forever going to be in her nightmares, if she got out that is. It was humanoid in shape but she wasn't sure for some obvious reasons. The figure had long white hair that cascaded down its back. It was wearing some sort of hospital gown that exposed its long pale arms and legs with each figure having 5 inch long nails that looked sharp enough to stab her. The most horrifying thing about the figure was that its head was covered in some sort of helmet that made her eyes glow brightly in the dark while showing the lower part of its face, exposing its razor sharp teeth. Zita shivered unconsciously as drool dripped from it's mouth.

The thing was, the more Zita looked at the figure, the more she thought that it was once human. Just not because of its general shape but because of how it moved. The figure was moving like a drunk person, staggering as it walked forward while it had its had in front of it as if it was blind. Even though Zita was at the end of the hall, she could practically hear it breathing heavily as it stalked the halls possibly for her.

"Ok Zita, just go back and retrace your steps..." Zita whispered to herself as she slowly backed away from the figure. "Just keep moving back and hope you don't attract its attention..." Zita continued tiptoeing back until she felt that she was far enough to run away from it. Zita may be a curious person by nature but that doesn't mean that she was going to risk her life for it. No matter how you looked at it, it obviously wasn't friendly. She didn't know why but she had this feeling that if that thing caught her... well... she didn't want to finish that sentence for obvious reasons.

As she kept running, she couldn't help but feel that she should've already lost her breath already. There was no possible reason that she could keep on running like this. Whatever they did to her, she knew that they did something to her body to be able to have this much stamina.

* * *

In another room, a monitor displayed Zita running inside a room and hiding under a table to try and catch her bearings. Another monitor was displaying the creature stalking across the opposite side of the facility, probably trying to locate the other occupant. This room was covered in darkness and was only illuminated by the various monitors on one side of the room. Watching the monitors was a female scientist with an impassive look on her face. Her eyes were currently trained on Zita as she typed on a keyboard.

"Test subject seems to be aware that she has been tampered with. This must be rectified by altering the memories of said test subject after experimentation. Also cleanse the body from foreign chemicals before being sent back to test subject's house." The scientist mused to herself, reciting tasks and reminders. "Scans show that her heartbeat is currently on 100 beats per minute. Chemicals administered in her body seems to be working efficiently and effectively. Test subject shows no sign of wear after running for about 20 minutes. Will continue monitoring to see if there would be any changes." She then turned to another monitor, this one displaying the vitals of the creature with its stats around it. "Subject Z seems to also be in top condition since administering Experiment Z on her 2 hours ago. Adjusting sense of hearing and touch by 5 percent increasing them from 10 percent up to 15 percent." The scientist droned as she focused her attention on the monitor with the vitals of the creature. "As of the moment, sight, smell, and taste are still being restricted for the purpose of testing the survival of the subject by only relying on touch and hearing."

As the scientist continued making adjustments on the creature, the flickering of lights from the other monitors' feeds shows the dark room's other contents. On one corner of the room, there were cabinets filled with empty tubes, beakers, and other containers used to contain chemicals and other liquids. On another corner, is a giant clear glass tube with some sort of humanoid figure suspended by some sort of liquid inside. An oxygen mask was given to the humanoid figure and other wires and tubes running in and out of the orifices of the nether regions. What made this figure distinct from the scientist in the room was that it had light green skin and it also had large pupil-less solid-colored red eyes. It had antennae atop its hairless head and it had very sharp teeth. The most glaring weakness was probably the gaping hole on its back since it actually showed what was inside its body, a large single organ filling its entire torso.

"Next experiment will then involve the sense of taste and smell on an environment filled with different types of flora and animals to see how Subject Z will react to other living organisms outside its target." The scientist continued to talk to herself as she watched Zita run to another hallway. "It seems like Ms. Collins is making great progress in evading Subject Z." She then turned to another monitor while typing some commands on the keyboard. "Increasing hearing radius of Experiment Z from 20 meters to 50 meters. Running speed has been increased to maximum capacity. Will now see how the test subject reacts to these changes and record them accordingly."

The scientist herself was actually quite attractive considering she spent most of her time inside her laboratory conducting experiments and doing researches. She was constantly wearing goggles, her natural beauty and how she never smiled made her look like she was a mannequin. It was also quite disturbing that she rarely moved even though she was typing away on her keyboard on a speed that was almost impossible to follow.

"Hmm... I never would of imagined that I would get these kinds of results... Test subjects should be gathered for future projects and possible duplication of Subject Z."

* * *

As soon as the changes were made, Subject Z suddenly whipped its head towards the direction where Zita was currently running on. Releasing a high pitch scream, the creature tore through the furniture in front of it like they were nothing, homing towards where it could hear Zita's footsteps. In record time, the creature was able to get to Zita and screamed towards her.

Zita was able to jump in time to be able to dodge the creature's lunge at her. She screamed again as the creature tried to grab her.

"Stay away from me!" Zita shrieked as she threw a chair at the creature. The creature was hit on the head and staggered back. While stunned, Zita could now properly see the creature's face. It was wearing some sort of helmet that was covering half of her face and was revealing the bottom part. Earlier, she thought that its eyes were glowing but it was actually part of the helmet. Two tube-like objects were placed over its eyes, giving it this sort of binoculars kind of view. Zita didn't waste any more time before she hurled another chair at the creature and started running away again.

Just as she ran around a corner, Zita could hear several wooden objects break apart as the creature screamed its fury at her. She could feel her heart beat faster as she felt the creature behind her get closer and closer. She felt weak and powerless as she ran for her life. As she thundered down the hallway, she could practically feel the creature's claws trying to grasp at her hair. She chanced a look behind her and almost lost her footing as she realized that the creature was only a few feet behind her. She wanted to scream but was afraid that it would cause her to slow down so she bit down on her lower lip and turned a sharp corner. To her luck, the creature lacked a center of balance and tumbled as it tried to mimic her.

Just when she was about to turn a corner again, a pained scream echoed behind her. She didn't look behind this time, afraid that the creature would be close to her again, and went inside a room and hide under a table once again. To her surprise and relief, the entrance closed off so that gave her time to catch her breath.

"I'm surprise..." The voice said once again after a few minutes of silence. "You are able to outrun Subject Z even though I programmed it to be at the peak of human capacity." She continued even though it still came out as a monotone. "It seems that I've underestimated you. Not to worry though, this is only a test regarding Subject Z's capacity in both senses of hearing and touching."

Zita wanted to ask the voice some questions but was afraid that _Subject Z_ would probably hear her.

As if reading her mind, the voice sounded again. "You can inquiry me anything that I am able to answer. I already removed Subject Z's sense of hearing and it would not be able to break through the wall in this specific room."

"Who is Subject Z?" Zita demanded. If she was going to be stuck with that _thing_ in this facility, she might as well get some information about it.

There was a brief pause before the voice started talking again. "Subject Z is a project where we will create the ultimate hybrid. This specific creature have skills and abilities way beyond human capabilities. Experiments have already been conducted before where two different species are mixed to see what the results are but all of them were failures. No matter what DNA were mixed with human's, it will reject them. Countless hours have been spent researching to find that specific DNA to make the human... complete if you will..." The voice was getting louder but the monotone was still there, clearly unnerving Zita since it was like she sounded like she was reading through a script or something like that. "It was only weeks ago where my research had come to fruition. After looking through all the possible candidates, I finally found one that met all the requirements. It is quite intriguing that I... found... this human in the skool you go to."

Zita's eyes widened as she looked up to try and find the source of the voice. "Y-You mean that that... _thing_... used to be _human_?!" She shrieked, not caring whether the creature heard her or not. "What kind of sick joke is this?" Zita hissed. She didn't want to tell her how disgusted she was with her experiments. Mixing human DNA with others?

"I don't expect you to understand." The voice said, not even slightly offended by Zita's comment. "This project is not for the betterment of mankind but for greater purpose." Just before Zita could question her again, the voice cut her off. "I'm sorry but I think we have to cut this conversation short. There is an immediate situation that needs my attention so you just have to ask your questions later after I'm done with it. For now, please continue with the tests and I'll return shortly. Goodbye." There was that familiar beeping sound that meant that the connection was cut off.

"N-No wait! Don't leave me alone here!" Zita shouted in fear as she heard the wall lower down. As she feared, there was an opening to the room she was currently in and was deciding whether to bolt right out of the room or continue hiding in it. Deciding to risk it, ZIta peeked out of the room and saw that the coast was clear. Walking cautiously, her mind went back to what the voice said a few minutes ago. She said that this creature used to be a human being, A person. She then remembered that the voice said that this person also came from her skool. But, from what she remembered, there had not been any missing person reports these past few weeks. At least, not that she knew of.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she tried to picture out what the creature looked like. Maybe there were clues base on its appearance. From what she could remember, the creature had long white hair and... that's just about it, actually. It had no other redeeming qualities.

Wait...

There was actually one person missing in skool right now... One person that nobody would care to look for. One person that never in her life had ever missed skool, not even once.

If possible, Zita's already pale face paled even more when realization dawned on her. That creature...

A scream echoed throughout the quiet facility making Zita shiver unconsciously.

Ms. Bitters...

* * *

 **AN:** Wow... This chapter has been a roller coaster of a ride... I just hope Zita can escape this nightmare of hers... Also, what did the doctor do to her? We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?


	24. Eenie Meenie Miney Mo

**Disclaimer:** And in this chapter, Azukka still doesn't own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** Looks like Zita is still in a bit of a pickle. How do you think she'll be able to escape? No matter, maybe we'll find out in this chapter.

 **Review:**

A Dude

So great, but please do sooner updates, love it, but honestly, I personally think Zita is a full blown jerk. Love it tho.

 **Why do you think Zita is a jerk? I think she's just looking out for Zeke. Also, maybe she is a teensy bit jealous of Gaz for some reason... Also, I can't update as frequent as I can before because I have a job and I'm exhausted when I get home.**

o. o. o.

Guest

Enjoying this story so far! I hope Dib and the others (except Zeke since he knows about the killings) finds out that Gaz was the one who killed those people. Not to mention the photo of Gaz and that business suit guy and her forcing Dib to write that letter to Kat because of Zita's threat she made. I keep asking myself these questions. How did Zita got that photo of Gaz and that guy? Did Zita just happen to be there? Did Gaz pretended to be a prostitute just so she can kill someone to blow off some steam? Is Gaz really a prostitute? It's hard for me to believe that Zita didn't show Zeke the photo in the first place when she was telling him to stay away from Gaz. I wonder what Zeke's reaction would of been if he saw it. I'm also wondering on what's going to happen at the skool dance. Keep working on this story please! Out of all of the Invader Zim stories I've read, this one is considered to be my favorite.

 **Thanks! Actually, Gaz didn't force Dib to write the letter. She just probably told him to man up and stop acting like a wuss. As for how Zita got the picture? I'll elaborate on that on another chapter. Gaz isn't a prostitute, she just likes to kill people that no one will probably care about. Also, Zeke didn't give Zita the chance to show the photo since Zeke just snapped at her and was about to rape then and there. I'll also do something about that later.**

o. o. o.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Eenie Meenie Miney Mo** **"**

Ms. Bitters...

When Zita came to that conclusion she actually paused on her tracks and her eyes widened. It wasn't possible, was it? There was no way that the skool will make up an excuse about Ms. Bitters being sick when in reality she was kidnapped. No, there had to be logical reason for this. Maybe she was kidnapped while she was resting in her house. Yeah, that was possible.

With that in mind, Zita drew a deep breath and continued walking. If what the scientist, as she proclaimed she was was actually true, said was true then Ms. Bitters was now part... something... She didn't really get the chance to ask the questions she wanted since the voice went away to take care of some kind of _situation._ Shaking her head, she decided to worry about that later. Right now, she needed to find a way out. Continuing to walk slowly, Zita looked left and right to try and find a door that would lead her outside. She sighed in frustration when she once again turned to another hallway. She didn't know how long she had been searching when the familiar beeping noise sounded once again.

Zita mentally sighed in relief when she realized that she would once again have a few minutes of peace from trying to hide from the creature. She refused to believe that the thing that was chasing her earlier was her teacher. Just like before, the room she entered was once again closed off from the outside, keeping her temporarily safe from the creature.

"Ahh Ms. Collins, I'm impressed by your evasive skills. According to my readings on Subject Z's brainwaves, it hasn't located you since earlier when I closed off the wall between the two of you. What's even more remarkable is that I even had set it's hearing capacity by 20 percent." The scientist praised Zita with her usual monotone voice.

Zita frowned as she ignored the compliments. "Why do you keep calling her 'it'? She's a woman. She's not an object."

"Correction... It _used_ to be human." Zita growled when the scientist once again called her an it. "Now it is only partially human since, like I stated earlier, it has been fused with another species making it the perfect specimen to experiment on."

"Now that you mentioned it... You said that Ms. Bitters is only half human, what is the other half?" Zita asked carefully.

Silence filled the room for about a few seconds before the scientist broke it. "I'm sorry but that is classified information."

"What?!" Zita hissed. "You just told me that she is half human! Why can't you tell me the other half?!"

"Like I said earlier, that is classified information. It's nothing personal really. It's just that this is a personal research of mine and I don't want to divulge my secrets to anyone that I don't trust. Anyways, next question please."

Zita frowned as she tried to think of something that the scientist would _hopefully_ answer. "You didn't deny that that creature out there is Ms. Bitters. My questions is, why her? Of all the people in that skool, why did you pick her?" She asked curiously. It was actually a genuine questions since she really did want to know why Ms. Bitters was picked. For one thing, she was an old woman, obviously passed her prime. She actually had someone in mind in regards to probably the perfect human in their skool, as much as she wanted to deny it.

"Simple. You may not know of this but the human once called Mishka Bitters was actually not someone would call normal. Ever since the skool was created, she was already there. Based from my research, no one knew where she came from or how she got there. I've done my research but I couldn't seem to find anything on her. According to my research, the skool has been founded for almost a century now, so that would mean that Mishka Bitters is over a hundred years old."

Zita's eyes widened at that information, clearly caught off guard by both her age and first name. She was both surprised and unnerved that this scientist was able to dig out some information regarding Ms. Bitters when no one, not even the principal, knew her name. "B-But that's impossible! How can a person live that long?! Especially since Ms. Bitters is quite active for someone who's supposed to be a hundred years old if what you're saying is true!"

"Intriguing, is it not?" The scientist said in her monotone voice, aggravating Zita since she sounded like she didn't even care about their current situation. Like the scientist was just watching a mouse go through a maze to find a way out except she was not a mouse and there was a monster out there that was probably going to kill her if it got its hands/claws on her. "How can a person reach that age but still function as if they were just in their twenties? How can a person live that long without anyone finding out about where they lived or how they came about that place? But the most important question of them all is, how can we replicate it? Is there a way for someone else to live that long and will be able to compete as if they are the best on each category?" The scientist asked in quick succession, her voice still as flat as ever.

Zita's eyes widened even more, which was impossible, when she connected the dots on what the crazy scientist was planning on doing. "Are you trying to become immortal?!" As crazy as it sounded, Zita thought that the scientist was probably crazy enough to be able to accomplish it.

"You are mistaken Ms. Collins, for my research doesn't involve prolonging the life of someone by near infinity. My research is about achieving the physical limit of the body and bypassing it by unimaginable margins. For you see, like I stated earlier, Subject Z has already passed the limit of how far the human body can take and I still have much more experiments to do on it before I can get satisfactory results."

"SHE'S NOT AN IT! SHE'S A HUMAN BEING AND YOU ARE INSULTING HER!" Zita snapped, mad that the scientist was treating Ms. Bitters like she was a frog that was being dissected.

"Once again, you are mistaken. Subject Z is no longer Mishka Bitters. All information regarding the person Mishka Bitters has already been removed permanently and no one will be able to search for her name across the web. As an added security, I've also removed it's memory and replaced with the program I've created for the purpose of such experiments being conducted right now. You can think of Subject just like a computer that has been reformatted and the software has been replaced by a newer and better version of the previous ones. Just imagine, a being that could outrun any vehicle with ease, a being that could lift a hundred times it size, or a being that could survive the coldest and or hottest temperature you could possibly ever imagine. And I have the technology and knowledge to do it. All I need to do is continue doing my research and make adjustments until I can create the ultimate being."

Zita's blood ran cold. This person or whatever it is is worse than she thought. Not only was she delusional, but she was delusional using other people to experiment on to carry out her delusion. "What you're doing is barbaric! You are experimenting on other people as a means to get what you want! What about them?! Their families?! You said earlier that there would be other tests, right? Does that mean that you will also kidnap other people to be used as some kind of _bait_ for this monster?!"

She could hear a sigh coming from the speakers around her, the first time she heard the scientist express emotion if only for a little bit. "You truly do not understand my plans. For, you see, I am not doing this for myself but for the future. The experiments that I have done in here is for far something greater. Something that will change tides of the future. For now, you won't understand but in time you will. All of you will."

Before Zita could ask the scientist what the hell she was talking about, she jumped in surprise as the wall behind her opened up. Her eyes widened when she realized what was happening. "W-Wait! I'm not done asking questions!" She shrieked.

"I'm sorry but we already have wasted enough time chatting. I need results now since I am in a tight schedule. I will contact you later, Ms. Collins. Good luck."

"Wait! Don't leave me alone!" Zita shouted but quickly clamped her hand over her mouth, remembering that the monster that used to be Ms. Bitters was lurking outside in search for her. Like before, she slowly walked out and peeked out to see if the coast was clear.

o. o. o.

The scientist kept a close eye on Zita as the girl started crouch walking across the hallways. The more she observed the girl, the more she thought that she could use someone like her. She didn't know what for at the moment but she will eventually find one. Satisfied with that decision, she once again turned to Subject Z, who was still only to sense things through touch. Reading through its brainwaves, she was amazed to see how it could adapt quickly no matter what handicap it had. She decided to once again increase its hearing capacity to its previous state and just like last time, Subject Z tensed and stopped walking. The scientist then turned back to readings and noticed another change on its brainwaves.

"Intriguing indeed. To think that I am able to gather this much information from just one experiment. Not only that but I am also quite amazed by Ms. Collins. She has been able to evade Subject Z for this long without being detected, even with its sense of hearing at 25 percent. It seems that I won't be able to keep my promise to her that I would leave her alone after this experiment. Her potential is too good to pass up, wouldn't you agree?" The scientist turned and was now eye to eye with the towering figure behind her. Just like before, the figure did not respond and continued to stare directly at the scientist."Alpha, I think we have finally found the solution to our previous problem. We will start with the procedure after I get more information from the subjects brain activities."

For the briefest moment, its eyes changed from red to blue and back again in quick successions, which was missed by the scientist since she was busy making adjustments to Subject Z's programming. _**Master...?**_ It echoed in a deep masculine voice.

The scientist turned to it with a raised brow. "Interesting... It's the first time I heard you speak in... well... for a long time at least." Turning back to the computer, she started typing again. "No matter and to answer your question, yes, it would only be a matter of time before we can begin with our plans. The cards have already been drawn, and from where I see it," The scientist smirked as she pressed a button and gas started spreading across the facility Zita was in. Looking at the monitor, Zita could be seen looking frantically around her as the gas started to surround her. She tried covering her mouth but that gas was able to enter her lungs and, before long, she fell unconscious on the floor. "We have great hand to deal with."

The scientist stood up as both Zita and Subject Z, who was also affected by the gas, were transported out of the facility via floating bubble containers. "Now that that's taken cared of, I will now proceed with making adjustments to Subject Z's reaction time regarding to the information I've gathered and see if I can increase it again by another 10 percent. As for Ms. Collins... I'll deal with her later." The female scientist then turned to Alpha as she adjusted her glasses. "As for you Alpha, resume your watch on Dib Membrane but like I instructed you before, refrain from revealing yourself."

Alpha nodded its head before it turned around and walked out of the room. As it walked on a dark hallway, it's eyes turned blue again before it flickered back to red. _**Master...**_

 _ **In time...**_

* * *

 **AN:** Oh boy... What will happen to Zita now? Why is she always being made fun of? Why is her luck so low?! Oh right... That's because of me! Silly me! Always forgetting that I'm the one causing all the problems to occur to this unaware fictional characters!


	25. Screw Loose

**Disclaimer:** And in this chapter, Azukka still doesn't own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** Whoo boy! The skool dance is almost here! I wonder if something is going to happen during that event since I, the author, actually am making it some kind of a plot point... Bah whatever! A bit of a warning though, this chapter will be the longest that I've ever done and I think many of you will be confused as to why. I mean, even I can't explain why this chapter is so long.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Screw Loose** **"**

Zita...

Zita...

o. o. o.

Zita blinked her eyes open as Dib stood in front of her with his arms crossed while glaring at the weird new student across him. Zita already knew why Dib was bothering her even though he didn't tell her yet. Zita couldn't for the life of her understand why Dib was being hostile towards green skinned child. Sure, he did look kinda weird but that didn't mean that he was an alien.

"Zita, were you listening to me?!" Dib asked, exasperated. "I said, how can you tell me that that... thing... is a human boy?!"

Zita glared at Dib. It was one of the reasons why she thought of him as a loser, he kept accusing everything that wasn't normal as an alien. It was funny for the first few times but it got old real fast.

"Dib, that's not a nice to say to the new kid. I know that the other children are making fun of you but that doesn't mean that you should harass him." Zita lectured. Being the class president, it was her responsibility to keep the peace in the classroom.

Dib rolled his eyes as he scoffed. "I don't really care what the other kids think of me. What I do care about is that alien over there probably planning on taking over the Earth!"

Zita rubbed her temples as she started getting a migraine. Was he serious? Here was a seventh grader that still thinks that aliens exist and was also accusing a new student of planning on conquering Earth. What were the chances that she would be stuck in classroom with this psycho for the past seven years. For some odd reason, Zita became the class president every skool year and every year Dib would be in class with her. Every year she would try and deal with Dib's eccentric attitude and general craziness.

"Dib, can I be honest with you? Years... You have been accusing students and teachers alike for years of being aliens and all of them were wrong."

"Hey! I didn't accuse all of them as aliens! I accused one teacher as a vampire while I accused a student in fifth grade as a zombie!" Dib defended himself.

"Dib! I don't care if the principal is actually a cyborg! What I care about is that you are treating the new student like he's a terrorist or something!"

Dib frowned. "Of course it's not a terrorist! It's an alien!"

"He's a boy! A normal green boy! What will it take to get it through your thick skull that he's not an alien!" Zita snapped, gaining everyone's attention, silencing the room immediately. Zita growled as she pulled a slip of paper out of her pocket and shoved it to Dib's face. "Listen here, freako, unless you want to be admitted to the Crazy House For Boys... _again_... I'll behave if I were you. You got that?" Zita hissed, making Dib sweat nervously.

Fearing that he would slip up again, Dib decided to back away slowly from the girl and sat down on his seat, glaring silently at the smirking alien in front of him. Sighing to herself, Zita turned back to the front so she was now looking at the board when Ms. Bitters entered the room while murmuring about doom and how she loathed children of all ages. Yep, just a normal day in skool, weirdos being weirdos, teachers... somewhat... doing their jobs, and she was still one of the most popular kids in skool.

At least, everything was pretty normal during the morning class...

"Listen here you alien, I don't know how you got here, how you were able to fool the skool for letting you in without showing any papers for the previous grades, or how you think you can fool every kid in this skool that you are a normal kid! But let's make one thing clear: I will expose you to everyone and then they will acknowledge me as the savior of Earth!" Dib declared as he stood on top of the table where Zim was sitting on, grinning maniacally. "Then! Since I will be the one to capture you, I will be able to dissect your body and be able to learn all the secrets regarding your species AHAHAHAHAHAHA" Dib laughed hysterically, getting all the attention of all the students in the cafeteria before rolling their eyes and gone back to eating. It was just Dib being weird again.

Zita was about to follow suit when Zim suddenly stood up, reached inside one of his pockets and pulled out a weird toy gun. Zita frowned when the gun's barrel suddenly lighted up and it shot towards Dib. The laser hit Dib on the chest, sending him flying across the room and slid on the floor. Zita's eyes widened when she suddenly had an epiphany. What if Dib was actually telling the truth? What if all this time he wasn't crazy at all? Zita looked around at the other students and noticed that they were completely ignoring the spectacle in front of her. Dib was running around the cafeteria for his life as Zim chased after him with his strange gun trained on the big headed weirdo.

"Hold still you stupid Earth monkey! Zim is trying to DESTROY YOU!" Zim shrieked in his shrill voice as he continued firing his gun at Dib.

"Yeah like that's going to make me stop!" Dib shouted back, just barely ducking out of the way of the laser. "Hey! You almost hit me you alien freak!" Without thinking, Dib grabbed the nearest object he could find, which was a glass of water, and threw it at Zim.

When the glass hit Zim, the effect was instantaneous. Zim immediately started screaming in pain as his skin started burning. "AHHHHHHHHHH THIS LIQUID! IT BUUUUUURNS! GET IT OF ZIM THIS INSTANCE YOU SORRY EXCUSE OF A LIFEFORM!" Zim continued to shriek in pain as he rolled around on the ground. Strangely enough, the only people taking notice of this was Dib and Zita, the latter still gaping at the two of them.

How was this possible? Was it really that obvious? Why was she noticing now?

As Zita continued to ponder about it, Dib grinned triumphantly as he continued to pour water on Zim. "Hah! Take that you stupid alien! How are you going to take over Earth now?! This burning feeling you are having right now? Earth is covered in it! Take this!" Dib shouted as he poured more water on Zim, making the latter scream even higher. "Yeah! That's what you get for invading our planet!"

It was then that Zita was snapped out of her shock , rushed towards the two and pushed off Dib from Zim."Dib! Stop it! You are hurting him!"

Dib raised an eyebrow at her. "Hurting him? He was about to kill me!" He defended.

Zita glared at Dib as she started pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and rubbed it all over Zim's steaming body, the latter was now unconscious from bearing the pain. "Does he look like he's still trying to kill you?!" When Dib just looked away and crossed his arms, Zita groaned. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with his immaturity right now. "Ok, Dib, let me just say that I'm sorry that I didn't believe you. I mean, I just witnessed some strange kid pull out a strange weapon and started firing at you. Does that mean all the claims you made in the past were true?" She asked curiously.

Dib, shocked that someone actually believed him, only blinked at her. "Uhmm... To tell you the truth, he's the first one that I was able to prove was an alien. The others... not so much..." He laughed nervously.

Zita groaned again as she finished wiping off all the water from Zim's body. She stood up and smiled apologetically at Dib. "Listen, I'm sorry for doubting you all these years. I know this won't mean that much but I think I also believe in aliens."

Just as she said that, every kid in the cafeteria whipped their heads towards the duo and collectively gasped. Before the two of them could react, the other kids started whispering to each other. Zita could hear bits and pieces and most of what she heard was not good. She could hear them whispering that she caught Dib's crazy and the kids were afraid that she was going to spread it.

"Did you hear that? She said that she believes in aliens." She heard someone whispering. She frowned at that. They were patronizing her.

"Really? What a hypocrite!" She winced after hearing that. She couldn't really help but agree to that statement since for the longest time, she really did thought that aliens were fictional.

"Wasn't she the one who told us to stay away from the freak because of that?"

"Does that make her a freak too?"

"SHUT UP!" Zita snapped, causing everyone to quiet and once again whisper between themselves. Zita didn't know what was happening. She didn't want this to happen. Why couldn't see it? The evidence was right in front of them. Looking down, Zita could see that Zim's contact lenses came off, revealing his ruby-colored red eyes. "Look at him! Does that look human to you?!" She shouted in rage, now seeing why Dib was always angry at his skoolmates. They were treating her like she was crazy or something.

Zita jumped when Ms. Bitters suddenly stood in front of her, leaning down so that they were now staring at each other's eyes. "You disappoint me Zita..." Ms. Bitters hissed.

"Wh-What do you mean, Ms. B-B-Bitters?" Zita stuttered out, already fearing what was about to happen.

"You were supposed to be the best example of a proper student." Ms. Bitters continued, now looming over the purple haired girl. "You were supposed to punish those who are not proper." Before Zita could react, Ms. Bitters suddenly clasped a collar around her neck. After clasping the collar, Zita could hear the wall behind her explode as something blasted in.

Zita squeaked when powerful hands grabbed her by her arms on either side. "Wh-What's going on here?!" She shouted, trying to break free but the hands were too strong. "Let go of me this instant!" Zita continued shouting and looked at the others students for help, only to be disappointed when they just continued with their lunches and completely ignored her. "Guys?! Help me please! Where are you taking me?!"

Zita was then taken to a vehicle that looked like an ambulance and she gasped and redoubled her efforts in trying to escape when she read the name on the side of the van.

Crazy House.

"No! I'm not crazy! You have got to believe me!" She pleaded as she was thrown into the back of the van. She was thrown so hard that she slammed onto the wall and before she could recover, the doors were closed and locked. It took her several seconds to recover her bearings but after she did, she once again pleaded. "Please! You're making a mistake! He really is an alien! Check his eyes and skin color! They're not normal!"

Zita continued to plead for a few more minutes before the back of the van opened again only for Dib to be thrown in and closed the door behind him. Gasping, Zita went to check up Dib.

"Are you ok?" Zita asked concernedly.

Dib groaned as sat up. "Yeah... No thanks to you." He grumbled as he rubbed his arms. No matter how many times this happened, those stupid guards grips still hurt him.

"My fault?!" Zita guffawed. "How is this my fault?" She gestured the inside of the van, which just consisted of of the walls covered in padding, probably to keep crazy people like Dib from hurting themselves.

Dib glared at her. "Well, little miss perfect, if you hadn't suddenly declared to the whole cafeteria that you actually believe in aliens, told you so by the way, then we wouldn't have been given the crazy cards!"

"Well I-" Whatever Zita was about to retort, it was cut short when the van suddenly surged forwards, making Zita scream as she fell on her back. "Hey! Where are you taking us?! I demand you stop this vehicle at once!"

"That's not gonna work." Dib sighed as he slumped down on the padded wall looking on the floor.

Zita snorted but followed Dib's lead and leaned on the opposite wall. "Oh really? Who died and made you an expert?"

Dib raised his head and glared at her. "Well the fact that I was sent there multiple times already, no thanks to _you_ , I think it's safe to say that I know about this stuff more than you do."

Zita huffed as she crossed her arms and looked the other way "Whatever. I'll just talk to whoever is in charge and tell them that this is just a whole big misunderstanding. I'm sure they'll give me a chance and just give me a warning this time." She buried her head between her knees. "I hope." She murmured to herself.

Dib sighed as he looked at Zita sadly. "Me too Zita, me too."

o. o. o.

Zita opened her eyes when she noticed that their ride has stopped. Looking across her, Dib also raised his head looking at the back doors. As if on cue, the doors opened and the same giant men before appeared before them, motioning them to get out.

Before they could stand up from their positions, they both stopped when the men outside suddenly shouted, looking at something beside them. Just then the same guards were blasted with some sort of laser, the same one that Dib was shot with earlier. Eyes wide, Zita was about to tell Dib to run when Zim appeared in front of them. Zita could only gape in shock when she saw Zim carried by some sort of mechanical legs protruding from his back. What was also shocking was that Zim was not wearing his disguise, which meant that his antennae was exposed on top of his head and didn't have any hair.

"Hello humans." Zim sneered as he trained his weapon on Dib again. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything because I wouldn't have cared nonetheless because I am Zim, the FUTURE RULER OF THIS PLANET!" Zim shouted to the top of his lungs, making the kids wince. "NOW DIE!" Zim said as he fired the weapon on Dib and instantly killed him.

"DIB!" Zita shrieked in fear. She then turned to Zim with tears in her eyes. "You sick monster!"

"FAREWELL HUMAN! YOU WILL NOT BE MISSED ESPECIALLY BY ZIM!" He shouted once again, firing his weapon directly between her eyes.

o. o. o.

Dib sat up on his bed and gasped loudly, sweat dripping from his face. He brought a hand up to his head, rubbed the space between his eyes and tried to feel if there was any hole on it but sighed in relief when there was none. That was the weirdest dream he has ever had. Of course, that was not the first time he had a dream like that. In fact, when Zim was still alive, he had dreams where he was being tortured, experimented on, being captured and brought to his leaders, and any other stuff related to aliens, at least the ones he had seen on television. No, the weird part about this particular dream was that in this dream he was Zita. Sure, he also had dreams where he was a girl but it was the first time that he was a girl that he knew of. What made the dream weirder was that he actually died while in someone else's perspective.

Dib sighed as he rubbed his face in confusion. It was too early for him to try and solve this problem that he wasn't really sure was a problem at all. I mean, just because he dreamed about being a girl that outwardly hated him didn't mean anything. It probably was just a coincidence. Deciding to accept that fact and checking the time to see that he still had THREE HOURS before he needed to wake up, Dib laid back down and was out like a light in an instant.

o. o. o.

"So get this... I had one of those dreams where I was girl. I mean, not just any girl, but I was Zita! Crazy, right?!" Dib asked Gaz as they walked to skool together. "Do you think that it's a sign that aliens are going to swap our minds so that I can't protect it? They must think I'm a threat then!" Dib boasted as Gaz continued to ignore him.

Gaz would've rolled her eyes but since she lived with him, she was immune to his stupidity. Not that he could get through her at least. Ever since Zim's death, which was about a year ago, Gaz had regressed to a state where everything was nothing to her except her Game Slave 2. Even as a tenth grader, Dib was still too immature for his own age, which was sixteen, so Gaz decided to ignore his existence until he left for college.

"Gaz...?" Dib asked hesitantly. Of course he knew that his sister was ignoring him. Of course he knew that it was partially his fault why. Whether she admitted it or not, Zim's death affected her the most. Well... To be frank, she was probably the only person aside from him who was affected by what happened. Then again, there were the lives that were lost during those dark days but Dib decided to ignore it for the time being.

Sighing to himself, Dib steeled his resolve and grabbed Gaz by the arm and made her stop walking. For the first time in months, Gaz finally looked at Dib in the eyes. Dib almost stumbled back at what he saw.

Dead.

She just looked at Dib, her eyes were dead, it was like staring into the void. There was no doubt in Dib's mind that if Gaz wanted to murder him right there, she would.

Laughing awkwardly, Dib released Gaz's shoulder and she continued walking away, leaving behind her unnerved brother.

Why couldn't it get through his thick skull? She didn't have any problems. No... It was quite the opposite actually. Her problems were everyone. They were always trying to talk to her. Tell her that it was not healthy playing video games the whole time. Tell her that she needed to study for some stupid test that didn't amount to anything in the grand scheme of things.

That's right. Her problem was everyone trying to get in her life. What's the best way to get rid of problems like them?

Reason with them? No. Too easy.

There was another way to get rid of them and Gaz had the perfect one in mind.

Smirking to herself, Gaz continued walking to skool along with Dib and if the latter noticed, she wasn't even playing with her Game Slave 2 anymore. If Dib had noticed then that would mean two things; one, someone has angered Gaz and something bad would happen to that certain someone, or two, something else was preoccupying Gaz's mind and then all hell will break loose.

o. o. o.

Dib sighed as he listened to Ms. Bitters complain about her life how everyone around her was to be doomed. Of course, that was what happened everyday since the day that she became his teacher _four years ago_. He didn't how that happened. How can one person teach the same class for years when she was supposed to be a eleventh grade teacher?

Shaking his head, Dib changed his train of thought before he got a migraine in trying to figure out his old, scary teacher and decided to focus on something else.

Like his sister.

Dib frowned when he remembered the incident that morning. The way she stared at him, how can a teenager have that kind of look? He've seen many documentaries and images of people of war and even they didn't have those kinds of eyes Gaz had. Now that he thought about it, even before telling Gaz about Zim's death her eyes were already like that. It was the first time in his life Dib realized that he had no clue who his sister was. No matter what he did, she either brushed him off or just resorted to violence. Nowadays she just completely ignored him. No matter what he did, he got no reaction from her. Well... Not everything. He still valued his life enough not to mess with her games. He may be stupid but he wasn't stupid enough to get in between her and her Game Slave.

He was snapped out of his musings when the door and windows to their classroom suddenly closed off. Most of the teenagers stood up in shock while the rest ran for the door and windows and tried to pry them open, but to no avail. Ms. Bitters started barking orders and curses but the students completely ignored her as they panicked. The boys resorted to lifting their chairs and try to break the windows off but it was no use since the skool windows could withstand bullets. The girls, on the other hand, were not much help since most of them were already starting to cry while the others were arguing.

All in all, Dib was the only one there who was not panicking. Looking to the side, he noticed that Tak was also on guard, which means that she too was surprised by what was happening.

Just then, green gas started seeping into the room making the already panicked students more frightened.

"This is our doom, I tell you! OUR DOOM!" Ms. Bitters shouted as she tried to cover her face with her hands but ultimately passed out on her table drool and all.

When the first student inhaled the gas, the effects were instantaneous when she suddenly fell asleep. The other teens started covering noses in vain since they were still able to inhale the now identified sleeping gas into their lungs. One by one, students to the ground asleep. Dib tried his hardest to stay awake but he too fell victim of the gas. Before he fell completely unconscious, he saw the classroom door open and men with gas masks entered the room and carrying the students out of the classroom to who knows where.

o. o. o.

When Dib regained consciousness, he immediately knew that he was in the forest based on all the trees around him. He groaned and rubbed his forehead as he tried to remember what the hell happened to him and how he got there in the first place. Unsteadily, he got up and looked around him. The first thing he noticed that there were other people around still asleep on the dirt. He sighed as he massaged his stiff neck muscles and walked towards the nearest sleeping person. Maybe he knew what was happening.

"Hey, wake up." Dib said as he shook the boy. "This isn't a safe place to sleep on so you gotta get up." When the boy failed to respond, Dib groaned and rolled him over since he was face down on the ground. It was when he finally saw the front of the boy's body did Dib gasp and stumble away from him. The boy's face was stuck in a horrified expression. His eyes were looked terrified while his mouth was wide open. The other thing that Dib immediately noticed was the throat was slit. The wound was so deep that the end was probably in the middle. Now that he focused, Dib could see that the corpse was lying in his own blood.

Seeing a corpse is one thing but seeing a freshly dead body was another thing entirely. So it would probably be understandable when Dib vomited the contents of his stomach onto the dirt below him. Steeling himself, Dib risked a glance back at the corpse, trying to see if he could find any clue on what happened to him. Like before, the first thing he noticed was the neck wound. Based from how clean the cut looked, he would hazard to guess that the murder weapon was a knife or anything that was as sharp. Looking around more closely, Dib could now see that the other people around him also suffered the same fate as the body near him. Some bodies were right side up while the others were in awkward angles. But nothing could change the fact that they were all dead.

Dib tensed when he heard rustling on the bushes around him.

"Wh-Who's there?! Show yourself or I will be forced to use force!" He warned as he took a stance. "I'm giving you a last warning! Come out or face my wrath!"

"No wait! It's us! It's us!" A female voice said in a panic as Zita and Gretchen came out from the bush in front of Dib. "Please don't hurt us!"

Dib's body visibly sagged as he sighed in relief. He wasn't really in the mood fighting someone especially after vomiting from seeing the dead body. Speaking of, Dib turned back to the girls and noticed that they were currently staring at something behind him. Already knowing what they were looking at, Dib wasn't surprised when Gretchen fainted on the spot. What did surprise him was how Zita just frowned and shook her head sadly.

As Zita took care of Gretchen, Dib decided to scout out the perimeter a bit to see if there were any other survivors. He frowned at that thought. How could this happen? Why did this happen? Now that he was conscious enough, he could remember what happened before he passed out. He remembered the sleeping gas and the masked men that entered their classroom later. This was all planned. The question now was by who? Who was twisted enough to kill his classmates off one by one? What have they done to deserve this?

When he found no one aside from the occasional dead body, Dib returned to Zita and Gretchen to see that the later was on the verge of waking up. Gretchen groaned as she held her head while Zita helped her stand up. When Dib stood next to them, Zita turned to him. "Dib, we need to talk, alone." She said as she motioned her head towards the far side of the clearing they were in.

Nodding his head, he followed Zita as Gretchen covered her eyes and openly sobbed. He actually couldn't blame the girl if she break then and there.

"What's up?" Dib asked. "I assume you have some sort of information regarding at what is happening to us."

Zita nodded her head. "Yeah, I was actually on my way trying to see if I could get out of this forest when I ran into Gretchen here. She was actually unconscious when I found her which was a blessing in itself since I thought she was dead."

Dib snorted as he once again glanced at the bodies around them. "No kidding, I actually thought that I was still dreaming until you came along." He gritted his teeth when it dawned on him that they were now being hunted. "Who did this?"

"I don't know. All I could remember was falling off my chair and then men burst into the room and took all of us. I was with a few others when I woke up and decided to split up to find and see any way out." Zita sighed as she looked at Gretchen. "That's when everything went south. At first it was just the sounds of bushes rustling every once and a while and we thought it was just the wind then all hell broke loose after one the boys with us shouted." Zita inhaled deeply as she steeled herself for what she was about to say next. "Then we heard this weird gurgling sound as if somebody was drowning. When we got to the source of the noise, we saw the same boy, dead from a wound to the throat. After that, everyone started screaming and started throwing accusations like 'She was with him!', 'I had nothing to do with this!', or 'You were mad at him early today at skool!' and we went our separate ways."

Dib shook his head. Of course this would happen. Nobody would want to take the blame as the killer so they resorted to the first person they saw as the supposed killer. "Doesn't really matter now. What we need to do is stick together. From how the killings were done, I guess the killer isn't someone that could overpower more than one person."

Zita nodded as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a gun. Before Dib could comment on it, she offered it to him. "Take it," Zita said as he urged Dib to take the gun from her hand. "My dad gave that to me and told me to use it only in dire situations." She laughed aridly. "I always told him that the gun would be useless since I didn't think that such a situation would ever occur. Guess who's the idiot now." Zita grumbled to herself as she left Dib alone and walked towards Gretchen.

Now that he was alone, Dib decided to get a closer look at the pistol in his hand. Dib whistled in amazement when he realized that it was a semi-automatic 9mm pistol. If there was one thing Dib would tell Zita's father was that he had great tastes when it came to items that is used to kill. After releasing the clip from the gun to inspect how many bullets were inside, he slid the slide in and then pulled it back. He heard clicking sound and then released the slide so that it would snap forward. Now that the gun was properly loaded, he felt as if he was in one those movies where he was a spy and the bad guys were now after him.

Shaking his head out of his daydreaming, Dib looked at the gun in his hand and couldn't help but feel responsible to whatever was going to happen to their little group. It was a little funny how he felt comfortable wielding alien weapons and when it came to a gun made by humans he felt a little uneasy. Sighing to himself, he put the pistol in safety mode and pocketed it for safekeeping.

"So what's the plan?" Dib asked as he walked towards the girls. If they were planning on making out alive then they should work together even if one of them was prone to panic at the most inopportune moments. "Since you were able to explore a little bit, what do you think we should do Zita?"

Zita frowned as she thought about their current situation. "Let's see... While I was walking around, I could see some light in the distance. I think it's worth a shot that we take a look at it since we don't have any other leads."

Dib nodded his head in understanding. As much as he wanted to argue with her, she was right. If they tried to go on a random direction and hoped to find a way out, they might get lost or worse, they might bump into the killer. "Great, now that we have a plan. Why don't we get started on it? I don't know about you guys but I've had just enough about this place. I love the thrill of hunting and all but with a killer on the loose? That's where I draw the line."

Gretchen paled as she just realized what Dib meant. "Wh-What do you mean a k-k-killer is on the loose?" She mumbled, too afraid to raise her voice. "I-Isn't this just an a-accident?" She asked hopefully. When Dib and Zita just looked sadly at her, she started crying again. "Please tell me that what happened to that guy is just an accident! I'm begging you!" She practically begged as she grabbed the hem of Dib's black trench coat in a vice grip.

Not having the will to answer her, Dib resorted to shaking his head. This was not how he pictured his day would become. For starters, never would he have thought that most of his classmates would die in one day. For all the bullying received in skool, never once had he thought of enacting on those who bullied him. The only thing that usually crossed his mind when other teens made of him was that one day he was going to prove that he was right and they were the ones that were crazy, not him. Oh, and he will also tell them that he had an average size head, just like everyone else.

Looking around him, Dib could only sigh in disappointment. Disappointed in the fact that he wasn't able to save them. Sure, he was unconscious the whole time but he still felt responsible since he was technically the only student in their classroom who had experience when it came to these kinds of things.

"Come on guys, I think it's best we move on." Dib ordered as he started walking towards the direction where Zita said the lights came from. Both of them knew that it was a long shot but at least they have somewhat of a lead.

o. o. o.

The three of them were walking for about 10 minutes when they came across the lake and near the shore were several bodies of their classmates. Gretchen's breath hitched when she noticed the pile of bodies and hid her face on Zita's shoulder, trying really hard not to cry again. Dib frowned at the scene and told the girls that they should move on. There was no sense in mourning them now since they were still trying to find a way out of the forest.

It was a little later when they finally encountered someone that was alive.

"Tak!" Dib shouted in relief as he saw the only person in their class that he actually li—tolerated. "You don't know how glad we are to see you!" Dib's relieved face was replaced with confusion when Tak just looked at him blankly. "Uhmm... Tak? Is something wrong?"

"Dib, wait. Something's not right here." Zita warned as she readied herself for something that could happen.

"I'm sorry about this but it must be done." Tak said in a monotone voice as her hand up to her wrist glowed, much to the surprise of the three teens, and grew longer before the light faded and her hand was now replaced with a giant blade. Before Dib could question what was happening, Tak suddenly ran towards them with her blade raised up above her head.

The first thing Dib did was push Gretchen away since the girl was petrified with fear. He risked a look back and saw Tak coming for him. For some odd reason, he was actually glad that Tak was after him since he didn't know if Zita or Gretchen could survive fighting against the female Irken.

"Tak! What are you doing?!" Dib shouted as he ducked to avoid Tak's strike that would've decapitated him. "Have you gone mad?!" He continued to shout as he jumped out of the way of her strikes.

Tak completely ignored his questions as she continued to go after him with a blank look on her face.

Knowing that he didn't stand a chance, Dib started running towards the general direction of the lake. Dib thanked the heavens that all those times that he and Zim played cat and mouse paid off since he doubted that he could run this long without passing out from exhaustion. Just as he reached the clearing, Dib screamed in pain as Tak was able to hit his shoulder, making him tumble forward.

"Tak, please!" Dib pleaded, wincing as he held his bleeding arm, and crawled his way towards the shore. Tak stood there in place, looking at Dib impassively while he crawled away in vain. "Why are you doing this?!"

Dib was about 3ft away from the lake when Tak started talking again, in a voice that made Dib look at her confusingly.

"Pl-Please... Stop me..." Tak stuttered out as if she was in pain but her face remained blank. "I-I am n-n-not in c-cont... control..." She continued while walking slowly towards Dib.

Without warning, Tak lunged at Dib to try and stab him on the chest. Just as she was on top of him, Dib was able to angle himself so that he was able to throw her over him. Dib heard an audible splash followed quickly by Tak's anguished screams. Dib sluggishly stood up and turned towards the lake to see Tak's body convulsing in pain while screaming to the top of her lungs. No matter how much Dib wanted to look away he couldn't. He was mesmerized by how Tak's body changed from her disguise and back to her true form over and over and over again while her skin was boiling because the water wrapping around her frame.

This continued until Tak's body drowned to the bottom of the lake. The only way to tell that she was actually sinking was because of the bubbles coming out from under the lake.

Dib gritted his teeth as he thought about what just happened, trying to keep his tears from falling.

Why?

Why did it have to happen?

What did she mean that she wasn't in control?

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

Dib was snapped out of his inner conflict when he heard slow clapping from behind him. Turning around, he saw Gaz there standing casually while clapping her hands, all with a straight face. Behind her, Dib could see Zita lying on the ground face down with a knife sticking out from the back of her neck.

"Wh-What...?" Dib asked in a daze, still out of it.

"I'm quite impressed with your performance." Gaz stated with a monotone voice. "Not gonna lie, I thought that she would eventually kill you. Although, now that I think about it, she probably had some resistance to my virus since she was still capable of talking to you." Gaz mused out loud before shrugging her shoulders and focused her attention back to Dib. "Anyways, now that we're alone, we can finally end this."

Dib frowned, not liking where this was going. "End what? Gaz, what's happening? Why were we sent here? More importantly, why did Tak try to kill me?!" He shouted, clearly mad at what was happening to him. He was so mad that he failed to realize that Tak wasn't the one who killed Zita.

Gaz simple rolled her eyes before crouching down and pulled the dagger from Zita's neck. "Are you really that stupid? It looks like I overestimated you."

"W-Wait..." Dib's eyes slowly widened when he started to piece together the picture in front of him. "Did you...?"

Gaz sighed as she fingered the knife. The look on her face spoke of boredom. "Tell me, Dib, what does it feel like to be useless?"

Dib winced as if he was just stabbed. Clearly he was still sensitive about it.

If Gaz noticed, she didn't show it or particularly care. "What do you think of my little game?"

"G-Game? You think that this was a game?" Dib muttered, clearly not liking where Gaz was going with this.

Gaz chuckled amusingly. "Of course. Why do you think I set it up like this? In a forest in the middle of the night? Having low visibility and using a knife as a weapon?" Gaz shook her head and sighed as Dib continued to fail to understand what she meant. "It's really a shame Dib. To think that I thought you would be more than a challenge. But this? You're already acting like that just because you killed your friend? How pathetic." Gaz taunted with a smirk on her face.

"SHUT UP!" Dib snapped. "What kind of sick person are you?! Why do you keep toying with other people?!" He continued to shout as he had a death grip on the gun inside his pocket. His eyes were starting to sting but he refused to let the tears fall. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had completely broke him inside. "How can you live with yourself knowing that you killed this many people?!"

Gaz merely shrugged her shoulders. "The same way I do everyday. What? You think killing someone is that hard? You are so delusional and not to mention pathetic." She laughed as Dib gritted his teeth in frustration. "Come on, give me your best shot! How about this, I'll give you the first move. If you can disable and/or kill me, then you'll win this little game of ours. If not... well... It's not like killing you is going to make a difference. Just one more nuisance out of my life. Well?" Gaz asked as she stood in a relaxed stance. When Dib failed to react Gaz sighed again. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Dib glared at her but didn't move an inch. "I'm not going to shoot you." Dib said with conviction. "I know what you are going through and I understand what you're feeling right now. Please, we can still stop this before it's too late." Dib pleaded as if his life depended on it. Oh wait...

Gaz blinked owlishly at Dib for a few seconds before she started laughing. Her laughter grew louder as if Dib told the funniest joke ever. In just a few seconds, Gaz slowly stopped laughing and gave Dib the driest look possible. "Are you listening to yourself." She said in a monotone, all amusement from her voice gone. She raised the knife to her face, partially hiding it so that only the left side of her could be seen. "Just goes to show how weak you truly are that you can't even kill for your own survival. Understand my feelings? Are you saying that I'm doing this because something triggered it?"

Gaz scoffed. "The only reason why I'm doing this is because I'm sick of each and every one of you. You don't know how it feels to walk among idiots like you trying to act as if you know what you're doing. You don't know how it feels to see people bend over for the sake of fame, or money. Each and every day, all I would see in the news is people dying just because of petty reasons like drugs, being cheated on, money and other things that makes me want to kill all of you more than ever." Gaz growled as she once again regarded her brother. "Then there's you. The self proclaimed alien hunter. Do you honestly think that you are able to protect this planet from alien invasions?"

"Of course!" Dib answered confidently. If there was one thing Dib didn't back down from, it was when aliens are involved. "If it wasn't for me, Zim would've succeeded in enslaving our planet!"

Gaz once again shook her head and smirked. "You naive fool. Fine then, if you won't attack me then I'll make the first move."

Before Dib could react, Gaz was already in front of him and kicked her on the stomach, quickly followed by punching him on the face. With just those two hits, Gaz was able make him fall.

"Come on, stand up!" Gaz snapped as she kicked Dib on the side. "Is that the best you got?!"

Still hurting from the wound he received from Tak, Dib couldn't muster the strength to stand up. Gritting his teeth, all he could do was glare at this sister. He never thought that it would come to this.

Gaz's eyes narrowed as Dib refused to stand up. "If that is your answer then good bye Dib." She raised the knife above her head, poised to strike down. "And for the record, you won't be missed."

BANG!

Gaz put a hand on her chest by her heart, eyes locked on the gun on Dib's hand who's barrel was smoking. Dib shut his eyes tightly as he released the trigger of the gun and let if fall from his hand.

"Damn it Gaz! Why did you make me do it?!" He shouted, tears streaming down from his eyes. "Why did you have to be so stubborn!"

"Because this world needs to be purged of stupidity." A calm voice snapped Dib out of his crying and forcing him to look up. In front of him was Gaz still in the same position she was before and smirking down on him. He looked back towards where he shot here and could see the hole but there was no blood pouring out.

"Goodbye, Dib, it was nice knowing you." She said with a bored tone before the bringing the knife down towards Dib.

Defenseless, Dib closed his eyes, hoping that it would be instant. The sound of metal hitting flesh could be heard before Dib's life gone dark.

* * *

 **AN:** Huh... Weird... Pretty strange chapter, don't you think?

 **Additional AN:** Wow... Was this chapter long or what?! Believe it or not, this is probably the longest chapter I've ever written! In fact, this chapter was so long that I've decided to cut it in half so that it would not be that long! Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! Also, sorry if there are going to be any typos and/or grammatical errors. I'm lazy like that...


	26. Fear Me

**Disclaimer:** Never underestimate how a person can change a whole story by just one word. Thankfully, Azukka does not own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** Aaaand here's the next part of last chapter... Enjoy

Also, I lied... There is going to be a part 3 of this... Didn't think this chapter would be this long XD

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Fear Me** **"**

Gaz opened her eyes and pondered about what she just dreamt about. If there was one thing she was thankful for, it was that she always woke up alert and didn't have to deal with mornings like other people do. So it wasn't actually surprising to her when she remembered every detail that happened in her dream and was also able to analyze it as much as possible before she would forget about it later on. The first thing she noticed about her dream was that she was actually Dib in that particular dream and the weird thing was that the way she behaved was almost exactly like the real life Dib's. The next thing she noticed was that the dream was set 2-3 years ago just a year after Zim's death.

After thinking about her dream more, the frown on her face only grew. She hated how dream self used other people to do the stuff for her. Of course, she like the idea of using sleeping gas on the general populace but she hated how bad it was executed. Seriously? They panicked over the fact that the doors and windows closed on them? Dream or not, Gaz could actually agree with her dream self on how stupid people in general are.

Also, she was going to think about the fact that her dream self was able to hack Tak's, or Kat by this time, pak and controlled her body like a video game character. Although she was easily defeated in her dream, she was going to have to fix that in the near future if she actually pursued that. She would actually be disappointed if the Irken paks were going to be that easy to hack.

Sighing to herself, Gaz sat up and turned to her side where Zeke was still asleep cuddling to a pillow with drool dripping out of his mouth. It was one of those rare moments where one corner of Gaz's mouth was upturned in a smile. She would never admit it but ever since Zeke entered, more like invaded really, her life, it has been more... satisfying if you will...

Aside from the fact that other students were now noticing her, the popular girls threatened by her popularity and Dib's insistence that Zeke was alien, life has been more tolerating for her. At least a little bit.

Reaching down, she started playing with his hair and Zeke sighed in bliss and leaned towards her hand. After a few seconds of playing with his hair, Gaz stood up and went to the bathroom. Like last time, her staying over was just on the spot kind of thing so she didn't bring extra clothes so she would just probably go home and get ready there. Unlike last time though, this time she and Zeke would go to her house earlier so that she could get ready more efficiently.

After freshening up, she woke Zeke from his deep slumber and told him to get ready so that he could take her home. Grumbling to himself, Zeke started doing his morning routine, completely forgetting Gaz was there as he started stripping his clothes off.

If it was any other guy, Gaz would've probably killed them on the spot.

If it was any other guy, Gaz would've probably get insulted and disgusted by the display.

If it was any other guy, Gaz would've used that as blackmail.

But since it was Zeke...

"Huh... no wonder girls throw themselves at you." Gaz commented offhandedly, her eyes trained on Zeke's lower body.

"Hmm?" Zeke turned to her with a confused face. Following her train of sight, he noticed that she was looking on his... "Like what you see?" Zeke asked with a smirk while striking a pose by flexing his arms.

"That depends, what am I supposed to look at?" She asked without missing a beat. "Your somewhat pale complexion or your not so visible _package_?"

Zeke sputtered, looking at her incredulously and offended by what she hinted at. "How dare you ask those kinds of things to me?! Haven't you realized yet that you are in the presence of the epitome of manliness?!" He boasted while puffing out his chest to prove his point.

Rolling her eyes "Of course, how can someone as unworthy as I unable to see such brilliance..." Her sarcasm was so thick it dripped off every word. "Can you get ready already? We need to get to my house before 7 or we would late for skool again. Not that I really care in the first place."

"Fine..." Zeke sighed as he looked through his cabinet to find fresh clothes for the day. After 10 minutes of getting ready, Zeke and Gaz went downstairs and saw that the table in the kitchen was already filled with food.

"Where's your mom?" Gaz asked as both teens started eating the waffles that Mrs. Mathews prepared for them before drinking the orange juice.

Zeke shrugged as he shoved half a waffle inside his mouth."Probably in the lab again. She's always inside the lab in her free time because she loves to experiment and discover new things. She's just like your dad but the only difference between them is that Mom spends most of her experiments in the lab in this house."

Gaz nodded in understanding. "So, where's the lab?"

"In the basement."

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "In the basement?"

Nod.

"In this house?"

Nod.

"Has there been any accidents that has happened here before?"

"Nope. At first I was skeptical and scared when she started doing her researches downstairs but not once has the house blown up so I guess we are safe." Zeke shrugged, clearly convince that nothing will happen to their house.

Gaz on the other hand, just stared blankly at him. "It's reassuring to know that your basis of safety is based on how your home hasn't been destroyed yet." She said sarcastically.

Zeke shrugged and stayed quiet as he continued to eat his waffles.

By the time both teens were finish with getting ready, it was already half past six and they only have an hour left before class started. Not wasting any time, both teens walked back to Gaz's house which was thankfully only a ten minute walk. Of course, they wouldn't expect something weird happening between the time they left Zeke's house to the time they arrived at Gaz's, right?

While Gaz and Zeke were walking on the street, they came across a person that smiled kindly at both of them. In standard Gaz fashion, she glared at him, which in turn would either make the stranger frown or walk away faster from her.

But instead of that happening, the person smile only widen. Confused, Gaz doubled her effort at glaring at him, as well as a sneer for added intimidation. When the stranger _still refused_ to remove that stupid smile of his, Gaz relented and decided to ignore him completely.

What was that?! Either that person had balls or was completely out of it because that was the first time Gaz was actually smiled at after trying to scare the living daylights out of them. Shaking her head, Gaz decided to ignore what just happened and decided that that person was crazy.

o. o. o.

If Gaz thought that that stranger was acting weird, she would be in for a surprise when she got home.

Just as both teens walked to the front yard, they were greeted by the males of the Membrane family.

"Ah, Daughter!" Professor Membrane exclaimed. "How was your evening with young Zeke here?"

Gaz frowned in confusion. How did he know where she was all night? The obvious answer to that question was because she was with Zeke now, if her dad was an idiot that is.

No. He probably knew because of the smiling idiot of a brother standing next to him. Gaz turned her eyes towards Dib and glared at him. Silently sending him a message that he was going to get it.

And just like with the stranger, instead of cowering in fear, Dib smiled a toothy grin and gave a thumbs up.

For the first time in her life, Gaz's eyebrow started twitching in irritation. Without any warning, Gaz stomped towards Dib and lifted him in the air by his collar of his jacket with one hand.

"Are you mocking me?" She asked in a dead tone which did not hide her irritation. "Because if you are then I think it's time to teach of your place in the food chain again." She warned.

Instead of relenting and begging for forgiveness, Dib actually beamed down at her, showing his pearly whites. "Really?!" He asked excitedly, which confused Gaz more and more.

"Uhmm... Gaz? I think you should let your brother down before you do something that you will probably regret later... Ok, maybe you'll not regret it but please forget about it. Just this one, please?" Zeke pleaded while he stood next to her and tried to calm her down. Gaz glanced at him and felt relieved that at least someone was uncomfortable because of her but it still wasn't the same.

Gaz sighed in aggravation and unceremoniously dumped Dib on the ground. Without another word, she stormed into the house and slammed the door shut. The guys outside could practically hear every step Gaz took since she was stomping so hard inside.

In her room, Gaz was having trouble getting ready since her mind was preoccupied with what happened that morning on both occasions. Slamming her hand on her table, she thought about what she did wrong. Did she lost her touch? Was she not intimidating anymore?

Thinking about it, she did notice that boys were now risking their safety by trying to talk to her.

Wait...

Did her gender have anything to do with it?

Of course it did. Men didn't think with their heads. As much as she liked to think that was a joke, it wasn't. The fact that she was always satlked and ambushed inside alleyways proved that point.

Not that she was complaining or anything since she obviously exploited that weakness of theirs to manipulate them to make them do what she wanted.

Oh, she also... eliminated if you will... the ones that irritated her.

Shaking her head, Gaz decided to just forget about what happened and get on with her life. Dib was not worth killing brain cells over.

o. o. o.

After changing clothes and going back downstairs, Gaz saw the three men already in the living room chatting animatedly with each other. Breathing deeply and preparing for whatever idiocy she would probably encounter when approaching them, she walked up to them and listened to their conversation.

At that moment, she wished that she just left for her own sake instead of listening.

"Are you sure, professor?" Zeke asked uncertainly.

Professor Membrane nodded seriously. "Of course, my boy. If there is one person on this planet that I, the great Professor Membrane, entrust my daughter to, it is you. That is why I, the great Professor Membrane, am giving you my daughter's hand in marriage."

"What?!" Gaz hissed. Of all the things her father did, this was probably the most irresponsible thing to do to his own child, not to mention his only daughter. "Who gave you the right to marry me off ?!" Gaz challenged.

Professor Membrane, completely unfazed, looked at her. "Well Daughter, for you see, I have noticed that I have been rather... absent... in your life and I wish to seek forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?!" Gaz scoffed in disbelief, if she was capable, she would've laughed like mad at the absurdity that she was hearing. "Is this some kind of joke? Since when did I ask for your forgiveness?!" She hissed once again. This day just got better and better.

"I know, Daughter." Professor Membrane sighed as he looked down sadly. "Even after all the mistakes I made of being a father... You still think that what I have done for the past years is not worth forgiveness because you actually understand how important I am to society!" He exclaimed proudly, unconsciously standing up. "You understand that I do what I do because it is for the greater good! Even now, you won't accept my forgiveness because there is nothing to forgive! Nothing, and I mean nothing in this world makes me happier than have my daughter have faith in what I do!"

"Yeah Dad!" Dib cheered him on. "I never doubted you for a second and its all thanks to Gaz!"

Gaz and Zeke gaped at the scene playing in front of them. Without saying anything, Zeke stood up, grabbed Gaz's hand, said goodbye to her family, and bolted out the door to try and get away before Gaz exploded.

o. o. o.

Seething in rage, Gaz stomped her way to skool with Zeke beside her, looking concerned. She didn't know why this was happening but if this kept happening sooner or later, hopefully sooner, someone's head will be rolling on the ground.

It was already 7am and that meant people of all ages were now walking along the streets. Each person she passed, smiles were present on their faces. Each person she watched, smiles were present on their faces.

Each person she glared at...

She was responded with a. FREAKIN. SMILE.

Each and every one of them... Smile, smile, smile.

Gaz paused and frowned when she realized something was wrong. Very, very wrong. When she looked around, children, mothers, fathers, all of them were smiling at her. Not in a way that was creepy mind you, but when she glared at them all she would receive was a smile in return. For some, that would probably brighten their day the whole day. For some, it would help them cope with their miserable lives. For some, it would make them smile unconsciously even though they didn't want to.

For Gaz, it only irritated her.

It was unacceptable.

Never in her life had she encountered something this stupid. For ever she could think, spreading fear to the general populace had played a bigger part in her life. For ever she could remember, one single glance from her could make grown men cry or run in fear, preferably both if she was honest with herself.

It wasn't just because she found it exhilarating the feeling of scaring someone or because she loved it when grown men wet themselves out of fear of gaining her wrath.

No, that was only part of the reason why she did it. The other part, and the more important one, was because people were easier to read when their emotions were high. Of course, that didn't limit to fear itself. Even with other emotions like happiness, or sadness, it can be achieved. It was just that it was easier to scare the living daylights out of people than make them smile or make them cry, although the latter was achievable depending on the effort she put on scaring them.

Hence the reason why it was easy for her to manipulate the general populace.

But now that people were not fearing her, it threw everything she worked for out of whack.

She could work with this. Just because she was given a different set of cards didn't mean that she would panic over it. She was better than that. All she had to do was improvise.

"Uhmm... Gaz, are you ok?" Zeke asked fearfully as he saw the growing smile on Gaz's face that was too evil for his tastes. "You're not going to snap are you?" Zeke asked nervously.

Gaz's smile disappeared before she looked at him. "Of course not. What do you take me for? If anything, I already have a plan for this situation I am in." She scoffed making Zeke sigh in relief as she started walking faster prompting him to do the same.

"Notice something weird this morning?" Gaz asked conversationally, which was a bad sign for Zeke since Gaz didn't do conversation.

"Hmm... Nothing out of the usual actually. Well, if you count the fact that your father practically shoved your hand in marriage to my face then no, everything seems pretty normal."

Gaz raised an eyebrow at that. "Really? Have you noticed how people are looking at me?"

It was Zeke's turn to raise an eyebrow, looking at her as if she had a second head. "Uh, yeah? People have always admired you. I've known that since I've moved here." Zeke's face frowned in concern. "Are you really sure you're ok? You've been out of it ever since this morning. What's wrong?"

Gaz completely ignored Zeke's question and instead focused on what he said. People admired her? Since when? He said that this was a fact since he moved in but that was impossible since she didn't do anything worth these idiots' approval. No, something else was at work here and she will find out what that was.

o. o. o.

Class, as expected, was very frustrating for Gaz. Not the normal "all of you are idiots and I hate how I am forced to tolerate your presence for 10 hours straight" kind of frustration, but a different kind. One that will ultimately result in Gaz murdering each and every person in her class.

"Hey Gaz, how was your morning?"

"Good morning Gaz, I hope you'll have a wonderful day today!"

"Oh my God, Gaz! I love your hair today! It makes your eyes pop out and make your glare more prominent!"

If anyone cared to notice, or noticed at all actually, Gaz had a dark aura around her that was growing darker the more compliments she got. Against popular belief, Gaz was not jealous of the popular girls. She preferred to be ignores since she didn't want to be around ignorance. The fact that these same ignorant... children... were talking to her as if they were friends or anything like that was making her angry.

It wasn't just the fact that they also didn't find her scary that made her angry, it was also because these idiots couldn't take a hint. She already warned them about irritating her but they seem to ignore her warnings. If this kept up then Gaz wouldn't be responsible if certain people... disappear if you will...

"Ok class!" Mr. Elliot said as he entered the classroom and skool bell rang. "It's time we continue with our lesson yesterday. Now, tell me, who can explain what..." It was at this part Gaz started zoning out. Thank everything that was holy his timing was near perfect. If he didn't step in as he did, Gaz was sure that some students would've stopped breathing... permanently.

Gaz spent the rest of the class thinking about her situation. How did this happen? When did this happen? And more importantly, How to get everything back to normal?

Gaz frowned as she stared outside. Now that she thought about it, the skoolchildren were still behaving like they always did, like complete imbeciles. The only difference was that they practically idolized her. She remembered when she entered the skool this morning, students of all grades were flocking around her, trying to get her attention. If Zeke wasn't there to try and calm her down... well... you get the point.

Anyways, were there any signs before this happened to her? She couldn't remember anything that could trigger this kind of phenomenon to happen. Was this some kind of sick joke? If it was then what kind of creature was able to create this? If there ever was a creature, why would they waste their time trying to push her buttons?

These questions were running through her mind for the rest of the morning period before the bell rang to signify that it was lunch time. Sighing to herself since she still couldn't find a concrete answer, Gaz stood up and decided that maybe the others were also able to see that something was wrong. Before Gaz could fully stand up, he paused and blinked.

Since when did she consider them reliable? No, scratch that, since when did she care about their opinions? If anything, the only person she could tolerate being around with was Zeke. Growling, Gaz decided to address that specific problem _after_ she solved her current one. Also, it was not like she couldn't just go to another table and warn them of not getting near her. All of them sans Zeke at least.

Walking to the cafeteria while ignoring everyone trying to talk to her, again, Gaz saw the table she usually sat and immediately frowned. Like usual, the table was empty since she was always the first one to arrive there. The other four were classmates and from what she heard from Dib's complaining, Ms. Bitters liked, or hated actually, her students suffering so she always dismissed them 10 minutes later than most classes.

Like usual, the table was clean since the last student who made a mess on that specific table spent an entire week in the infirmary. There were no evidence that pointed to her that she was the culprit, and even if there was, they were not stupid enough to point fingers at her.

Gaz's eyebrow started twitching as students were surrounding the table, HER table, in about a two meter radius. The moment the students noticed her, they opened a pathway for her to pass through. Not relenting, Gaz walked towards the table with her head held high as if saying "All of you are beneath me and I will ignore your existence". As Gaz passed the line, the ones who parted once again formed the circle around Gaz and smiled down at her.

All was quiet for a about five minutes, the moment Gaz sat down she took her Game Slave 2 from her pocket and started playing it, someone shouted from the back of the line.

"Ok people, move along. Nothing to see here." Zeke droned as he muscled his way through the crowd with Dib and Kat behind him. "You can go back to your seats now. It's not like you can't see Gaz from way over there!" He shouted the last part as he pointed to the tables, far away from theirs, making his point by glaring at them.

The other students grumbled before leaving the table. When the final student left, Zeke sighed as he plopped down next to Gaz, putting his tray filled with food on the table. Gaz, knowing that Zeke bought her some food, took one of the sandwiches on his tray and unwrapped it.

"So, how was your morning?" Zeke asked her conversationally.

Gaz mentally groaned to herself. If she was suffering from all the attention, she wasn't showing it. "Take a wild guess."

Zeke snorted as he took a spoon full of his mashed potato. "Oh come on. It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Gaz stared blankly at him. "They kept complimenting my hair." She droned. "I hate it when people compliment my hair."

Dib frowned, which made Gaz mentally sigh in relief. She didn't know what was worse, listening to his moaning or seeing him smile all the time. "Now that's a first." Dib started, "Usually you just ignore them. At least, that what you tell us all the time."

Gaz sighed as she realized how low she has become by talking to Dib of all people about her problems. Well, beggars couldn't be choosers after all.

"Did any of you feel like today is kind of weird?" She asked, testing the waters. "You know, like you wake up and then you realize that everything is different from what you've grown accustomed to?"

Based from the combination of confused and blank stares she got, she once again sighed in defeat. Just when she thought she could rely on her so called... acquaintance if you will...

"Now that you mentioned it..." Zeke started, stroking his chin in thought. "You've been more violent lately... well... more than usual at least. Does that have to do with what you mean?"

Gaz thought about what Zeke said. Maybe she should approach this problem in a different way. "Tell me, was I always adored by everyone?"

Dib eyes narrowed as he tried to think. "Well... I don't know why you're asking this but no, there was actually a time when everyone feared you. Not just being feared but down right terrified." Dib laughed as he tried to remember the time when his sister was being feared. "There was this one time where this boy from your class bumped into you and you got so mad that you punched his face so hard that he lost some teeth."

Gaz's frown deepened. So there was a time when she was feared. Wait... She was feared. "What happened?"

Dib blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Gaz glared at him sternly. "What happened to make people stop fearing me? You seem to know and I'm on the dark on this one. Tell me or else..." She threatened.

Zeke groaned as Dib actually beamed at Gaz's order.

"Ugh, great." Zeke moaned as he covered his face with his hands. "Just when I was able to make him shut up. Now he'll never stop blabbing about it."

Gaz ignored Zeke's moaning and focused on Dib instead.

Dib coughed into his hand, obviously preparing to start his tale. "Well, you see, three years ago Zim decided to take over the world, as usual. As you know, I tried to stop him from succeeding but he was able to trick me by using you as bait."

Gaz nodded, silently telling him to go on. On the outside, Gaz was just listening but on the inside, all kinds of thoughts were running through her head. So in this reality, she decided to call it that, Zim actually told her his plans but kidnapped her as some sort of fail-safe in case Dib decided to interfere again.

"What I didn't know was that you two were actually working together and it was a trap specifically for me." Dib rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "To think I fell for such an obvious trap. You actually pushed me inside the cage you were _held_ in and locked it from the outside."

Gaz blinked owlishly, momentarily shocked. So they were working together.

Wait...

If they were working together in the first place, how did the plan fail? Gaz didn't wait long for the answer since Dib decided to continue talking.

"After that, Zim showed up and gave me his ultimatum." Dib rolled his eyes. "He demanded me to give up and become his pet. Like I will stoop so low for an alien. Both of you left a little while later to continue with your havoc and then," Dib then smile once again, looking directly at Gaz with admiration in his eyes. "About an hour later, you returned and freed me. I looked at you in confusion before you explained that you were able to kill Zim while he was distracted in causing chaos across the city. You know, if you didn't stop him all of us would be dead right now. Well, all except the two of you that is. Anyways, it was just your luck that when you killed him you were actually filmed. Up until now, the source of the video hasn't been found yet but everyone knows that you saved us from an alien!" Dib cheered as everyone around them clapped their hands. Gaz couldn't blame them from eavesdropping since Dib was shouting the story through the heavens.

"I see..." Gaz said, silently asking herself why she would kill Dib in the first place. Of course, maybe in this reality their relationship was deep enough for her to feel close to him and not kill him. Or maybe Zim did something stupid and forced the other Gaz to kill him. Gaz mentally sighed, there was no point in trying to find the answer since she wasn't going to be staying in this place, if she had anything to say about it.

Feeling someone's staring at her, Gaz turned her gaze towards where the source was. From right across her, Tak was staring at her. While Zeke was complaining earlier, she already noticed that Tak was silent the whole. Although it was not weird in the slightest since Tak was always silent, the fact that she was staring at her intently was not comforting.

Gaz just shrugged it off as Tak being Tak, being an alien and all. Also, maybe she was uncomfortable being around Gaz since she did kill Zim.

"As much as I liked listening to you talking," Gaz said as she stood up and walked away. "I think it's time I head to class."

"See you later Gaz!" Zeke called, mouth full of food causing crumbs to fly from his mouth. "I'll wait by your classroom later!"

"Sure Zeke" Gaz responded. If there was one person Gaz would tolerate being around, it would be him. Not because he was cute, although that was a bonus, it was because he was the only one who knew about her secrets and wasn't afraid of her because of it.

She ignored the other kids calling her name as she walked out of the cafeteria. God, she would give anything just to make them all shut up.

Walking to her locker, Gaz sighed in relief when she realized that she was alone in the hallway. It was probably because everyone was still eating their lunches. It was times like these that Gaz was thankful that she was unpopular, disregarding her current situation of course. She was fumbling with her locker's combination when somebody suddenly grabbed the back of her head and, before she could react, slammed it towards her locker knocking her out in an instant.

o. o. o.

(Warning... The following scenes may contain violence, mentions of rape, abuse, and other violent things that I can't seem to remember what they are called.)

When she came to, she was confused on why her body won't move. It was only about a few seconds later did she realize that her hands were bound on a chair and her mouth was gagged. Coming to terms to her current situation, it dawned on her that if people idolized her, there was the rare chance that one of them was actually obsessed with her. She was either being kidnapped for ransom or for pleasure. Based from the faint boyish laughter she heard, she had a feeling it would be the latter.

Normally, this would be the time the victim would start hyperventilating and/or crying out loud to let them out. They would start thrashing around, injuring their bounded limbs in the process, to try and escape. While uncommon, they would try and seduce their way out, calling their captors sweet things to lure them into a sense of complacency and when they were released they would lash out and attack. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. It didn't matter whether they would succeed or not, the only thing that mattered to the victim was if he could escape or not.

Normally, they would lose hope eventually.

Gaz was not normal. Far from it to be honest. If there was something to describe her, it would probably have the same meaning with the word devil. To anyone else, they would probably be insulted. To Gaz, you might as well have complimented her.

Gaz sat there patiently as she awaited for her would-be captor to reveal themselves. She resisted to roll her eyes when she knew that they were just probably hiding in the dark, trying to act mysterious and then slowly reveal themselves.

Pretty pathetic. They could at least try something else for a change.

Looking around since they were obviously biding their time, Gaz realized that she was inside some sort of basement. In one corner, the part where light was present, she could see a mop inside a bucket and a broken down washing machine. Some cabinets here and there containing rags, cans, pots, and other things you could find in an average home. Oh, and the occasional rat scurrying around.

It looked like her would-be captors were too lazy to try and clean the basement for where they were keeping her. Gaz shook her head. She didn't know whether to be wary or embarrassed.

"Well, well, well... Look who decided to wake up?" A teenage boy about her age stalked up to her, trying but failing to be intimidating since he was sweating nervously.

"Did you get a good night sleep, Princess?" The other taunted, also sweating bullets.

"You know, now that I can look at you closely without you trying to scare me, you are really beautiful." A third one said as he walked up to her, licking his lips.

Gaz resisted to roll her eyes. What was this? Amateur hour or something? Gaz was really hoping that she was still unconscious since she couldn't bear watching these idiots making a fool of themselves. Gaz was snapped out of her musings when she felt the third boy feel up her leg. Gaz just stared blankly at him as he continued going up her leg. It was only then Gaz realized that her pants were removed and only her boxer shorts was making her look somewhat decent. She was actually curious at what will happen next since this was her first time experiencing someone actually touching her there.

Before the guy could reach up her shorts, he suddenly started twitching violently and screamed at the top of his lungs. A few seconds later, his body stopped moving and he fell back.

"Next time, try to control your urges." A voice droned from the shadows, making Gaz frown as the voice sounded familiar to her. It was at the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't quite figure who it was. "Sorry about that," The voice continued, their silhouette just visible from one of the light sources. "It's so hard to find help these days especially when not resorting to violence. But then again, you of all people should know about that, right Gaz?"

Gaz looked in confusion as she tried to see what happened to the guy and why he suddenly started screaming in pain. It was only a few seconds later when she saw the earring he was wearing. It was occasionally giving off sparks, giving Gaz a faint idea at what happened.

Looking back to where the source of the voice was, Gaz eyes narrowed as the supposedly leader finally reveal themselves to her by stepping out to the light.

"Hello Gaz, I'm sorry if my... friends here slammed your head on your locker but there we were running out of options in trying to get you here. I hope you don't have a concussion because I want you to be as aware as possible for what's about to come." the figure greeted with harshness, "Surprised? I hope you are because I've spent countless nights just for this day to come." The figure said with some amusement in their tone.

Gaz just stared blankly at them before scoffing, eyes bored. "Seriously? You ordered someone to kidnap me just so you can brag about it? Pretty pathetic if you ask me." She said conversationally. "The least you could've done was to be the one to slam my head."

The figure eyes narrowed and signaled one of the boys. The mentioned boy nodded and he approached Gaz before backslapping her across the face. Gaz's head snapped to the side but her expression never wavered, it was still fixed in a bored expression. "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?" The figure sneered, agitated that their victim wasn't even fazed by the abuse. "You think this is some kind of sick joke? You think you can get away from this without getting hurt both physically and mentally?"

Gaz just raised an eyebrow, the bruise on her cheek already forming. "No to all of them. I would've been more worried if it weren't for the fact that you actually needed help in trying to subdue me. What's the point of scaring someone if it doesn't involve life and death?" Gaz lectured, getting surprised looks from her captors. "I mean, you can hit me all you want but it wouldn't worth to anything if I could get out of it alive."

"Wh-What are you trying to say?!" Her captor stuttered, losing their cool.

It appeared that her captors were above murder. Shaking her head, Gaz lost her respect for them. Amateurs...

"You are at our mercy! We can do anything we want with you!" The figure snapped, slamming their hands on the table in front of them.

Gaz merely shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "So? It doesn't mean anything if you are all bark and no bite." Gaz taunted, clearly unaffected by her captor's threats.

"They will take advantage of you!" The figure shouted and pointed to their minions, desperate to get leverage since they were clearly losing.

To Gaz, it was quite funny how her captors were being cornered even though she was the one being tied up. Just goes to show how easy they were intimidated by her.

"So? It is bound to happen sooner or later. I mean, does it really matter? Truth be told, I always found it intriguing why other women make a big deal out of it." She said seriously, ignoring the shocked looks around her. "Then again, they did also say how much it hurts after the first time." She continued to muse to herself.

"H-Hey..." One of the boys stuttered. "A-Are you sure she's worth it?"

"Don't tell me you're backing out now?!" His partner hissed even though he was thinking of the same thing.

The first boy looked nervously at Gaz. "I have a bad feeling about this." He grabbed his partner's shoulders and started shaking him. "Just look at her! She's crazy! She didn't even react when David started touching her! Whatever man, I'm leaving!" Before the leader could say anything, the boy ran for his life.

Without saying anything, the second one bolted after him, leaving Gaz alone with the leader and the zapped boy who was now unconscious on the ground.

Gaz smirked as she looked triumphantly at her captor. "So, what now? It looks like we are alone." Gaz sighed as she ignored her captor's icy glare and started looking around the dark room. "You know, all of this could've been avoided if you just confronted me in front of my locker, Tak."

Tak glared venomously at her.

"He wasn't yours to take..." Tak mumbled so soft that Gaz was only able to hear it.

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Could you please elaborate on that because I don't know what you mean."

Tak gritted her teeth as she stomped to Gaz and punched her face. "SHUT UP!" Tak screeched. "You don't have any right to talk! We was supposed to be mine! I was supposed to be the one to defeat him! Me, not you!" She screamed while punching Gaz again.

This continued on for a few more seconds before Tak backed away, panting heavily. To her shock and anger, Gaz's face was only mildly bruised as the girl looked back at her.

"Is that it?" Gaz taunted. "You say that Zim was yours to defeat but you can't even kill me." Gaz snorted as she spat to the side, blood and spit mixed as it hit the floor. "Tell me, are you mad that I killed Zim or..." Gaz's eyes narrowed as she smirked evilly at Tak. "Or are you mad because I took him away from you?"

Tak involuntarily stepped back, shocked that Gaz was able to easily read her. She shook her head and glared back at Gaz. "What do you know? Of course I'm mad you took him from me! Now that he's gone, how am I going to prove to myself that I'm the better invader?!"

Gaz shook her head and sighed. God, it was so fun playing with people's emotions. "I see that you're still in denial. Do you know what he thought of you? Do you wanna know what he _felt_ for you?" She asked tauntingly.

Tak was about to retort but paused when she realized what Gaz just said. Growling Tak took out an Irken weapon from her pocket. It looked like a normal gun but with enhancements on it.

"Do not mock me, human!" She hissed, pointing the weapon on Gaz's head. "I know what you are trying to do." The madder she got, the more her accent showed. "I've had read entries on this. Humans use this to try and manipulate others! Since I'm not from Earth that will not work!"

Gaz snorted. "So you're saying that you don't want to know what he thought of you?"

Tak faltered, trying to save face. "No, you will tell me what he said to you because I told you so! Now, speak before I blow your head off!" She demanded.

Gaz mentally smirked. If she was going to die, she might as well mentally scar her in the process.

"He actually thought that you were... What word did he use again? Ahh, weak and pathetic."

Tak's eyes widened and her jaw slackened. Before she could control herself, she hit Gaz with the gun's barrel. "You're lying!" She screeched. "Zim would never call me weak!" She shouted in denial.

Gaz continued to smirk, not caring about the pain. "Why would I lie to you? What would I gain by lying to you? Nothing. I'm merely conveying my message from him to you."

As much as Tak wanted to deny it, she was right. There was no reason for the human to lie to her. Did that mean that Zim actually think so low of her? Was she not up to par for his standards?

Noticing Tak's sadness in her eyes, Gaz decided to rub salt on the wound. "You know, I don't know about the Irken culture but Zim is a good kisser." Gaz said offhandedly, once again smirking when Tak's eyes was focused back on her. "In fact, I feel honored since I'm the only one who was able to kiss him since he told me that I was his first."

Tak was now seeing red as she once again rested the barrel of the gun on Gaz's forehead. "Don't tempt me." Tak warned darkly. "You think you're better than me, don't you? You think just because Zim's last moments were with you that you have the upper hand." Tak turned off her disguise and revealed her grinning Irken face.

"That's what you think!" She shrieked. "What you did with Zim means nothing to me anymore!"

Gaz, still unfazed from everything that has happened, continued to taunt her. "Oh really? Then why are you shaking? Is it because of excitement or sadness? Truth be told, Zim wasn't my type anyways."

All was silent as Tak stared blankly at Gaz. "Goodbye." She said hollowly before pulling the trigger, the bullet running through Gaz's skull, splattering the back wall with Gaz's blood.

* * *

 **AN:** Wow... Just wow... This is probably my most favorite chapter ever written. Did I mention that there would be a third part?


	27. Rumors

**Disclaimer:** If anyone asks, I don't own Invader Zim.

 **AN:** I'm back with another chapter! 2 days to go before the dance Woo!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Rumors** **"**

"Morning..."

Gaz opened her eyes and was greeted with Zeke's smiling face as he hovered over her. Without much of a reaction, Gaz turned to the side and realized that she was on Zeke's bedroom.

"So it was just a dream..." She mused to herself as she once again turned to Zeke's smiling face.

"Aren't you going to greet me a good morning too?" Zeke asked amusingly with a raised eyebrow.

Gaz groaned but couldn't help but smile. "Fine... It's the least I could do for letting me sleep here." She said before raising herself a bit and gave Zeke a good morning peck on the lips.

Zeke blinked owlishly as he was caught in surprise by the sudden attack. "Ok...? Not what I had expected but that was a million times better than what I had in mind." Zeke smirked suggestively as he lowered himself until he was only a centimeter away from Gaz's face. "Although that was a bit lacking for my taste. Is it ok if I ask for a longer one?" He whispered seductively.

Smirking to herself, Gaz whispered back. "Sure... But it comes with a price."

"Name it."

Gaz raised herself again and gave Zeke a deeper kiss than before. Gaz broke away from the kiss a few seconds later and said "I'll tell you later."

"Ooohh... An open check. I like that." Zeke chuckled before capturing Gaz's lips once again which she happily returned. "At least give me a hint..."

"To tell you the truth, I'm trying to think of something that will make you embarrass yourself but knowing you it would probably do nothing to your ego." Gaz teased between kisses.

"Hey..." Zeke pouted as Gaz pushed him away, much to his dismay. "My ego is not that huge." Zeke argued as Gaz stood from the bed and walked to the bathroom.

"Uhuh... And I'm a happy-go-lucky girl who spends her day spreading joy and happiness to all the students in skool." Gaz said dryly before rinsing her face on the bathroom sink.

"Ha ha... Sure, make fun of a wounded person when he's down." Zeke droned as he stripped down and started looking for something to wear. "Why don't you squish my already crushed heart while you're at it." He ranted.

Gaz rolled her eyes as she also started stripping as well, glad she brought her own clothes this time. If there was one thing Zeke and Gaz had in common, they both were comfortable being naked around each other.

Zeke stole a glance and whistled. "You know, I never get tired of looking at you. Especially when you are naked." He commented, pulling a shirt over his head.

Gaz shook her head as she pulled on a fresh pair of pants.

Of course he would be ogling her. Of course, she wasn't against it or anything. In fact, she was glad that he was.

"Instead of staring at my body, why don't you just hurry up in getting ready so we can go to my house before 7." She said, pulling a purple shirt over head. Looking herself over the mirror, she nodded her head in satisfaction. "I'll see you downstairs." She said, not even bothering waiting for his reply when she walked out of his room and went downstairs.

"Don't eat breakfast without me!" Zeke called.

"Fine, but hurry up because I'm hungry!" Gaz called back. Normally, she wouldn't complain and would just do what she wanted... but... when it came to Zeke she was willing to wait just for the sole reason of doing it together. Like what was stated before, Gaz was not the kind of girl who would do everything she could just to get the guy she liked.

This was different.

Other girls would like a guy because of his popularity or looks. Other girls would like a guy because of his personality or how treated a girl.

Her, she was drawn to him. She didn't that he always made an idiot of himself in front of everyone or if he dragged her along with his idiocy. She didn't care if he flirted with her in a daily basis, in fact, she actually liked the feeling of being flirted with. Other guys flirted with her but she'd rather eat a rock.

She didn't know why she was attracted to him but she really didn't care.

Upon walking down the stairs, Gaz was greeted with a fresh and delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen.

"Ahh... Good morning Gaz." Mrs. Mathews greeted her with her warm smile. She had to remind herself that this was Zeke's mother, a woman who raised a flirt and an idiot of a son. It was obvious that she was the person who taught Zeke how to properly treat a girl if his early meeting with her was anything to go by.

"Morning." Gaz greeted back with a small smile if to be respectful before sitting down on the chair with a plate full of waffles in front of her. It was the least she could do for letting her stay the night.

It also didn't hurt that she actually liked the woman because she was not your typical dense adult living in their city. She could practically see the sharpness in the woman's eyes, showing intelligence beyond the norm, even herself. Also, unlike her father, the woman actually went out of her way to spend some time with her son even with her heavy schedule.

"How was your sleep? My son didn't take advantage of you, did he?" She asked with a frown. It only lasted for a second before a grin broke out. "If he did, was he good?" She stage whispered. There it was.

"Mooooom!" Zeke whined, red in the face, as he entered the kitchen. "Don't ask things like that!"

"So... Is that a yes?" Mrs. Mathews asked with glee. Oh yeah, she was Zeke's mother alright. "I know my son can be a bit impulsive but maybe it might have worked in his favor... this time at least." Mrs. Mathews grinned before winking at Gaz, making the later snort in amusement.

"Ugh... This is why I hate having female friends over." Zeke grumbled, sitting down next to Gaz and started putting food on his plate. "Can you at least once not assume that something happened in my room the previous night?" He pleaded.

As Gaz suspected, this wasn't the first time Zeke's mother teased him in front of someone.

"I'm sorry, dear, but your face is just so cute when you blush in embarrassment!" Mrs. Mathews gushed as she washed her hands and sat on the chair across the teens. "Also, I never waste an opportunity and making fun of you."

Zeke groaned as he covered his face with his hand. "Honestly, the two of you make fun of me every chance you get."

Mrs. Mathews scoffed as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Oh, don't be such a sourpuss... You know we love you, right my dear?" She asked Gaz who was busy trying to hide her smile.

Gaz looked back at her and nodded once before chuckling. She didn't even deny the "love" part which Mrs Mathews noticed right away.

They spent the next few minutes chatting happily and eating breakfast before Gaz and Zeke got ready to leave.

"Thanks again for letting me stay over Mrs. Mathews." Gaz said as she bowed her head in thanks.

Mrs. Mathews waved her thanks off. "Think nothing of it dear and, please, call me Mom." She said with a motherly smile.

Gaz's smile faltered for a bit, caught off guard by her request. "I-uh... Sure..." Gaz stammered as she averted her gaze. Even she was surprised by her own embarrassment. Normally she would flat out deny that kind of request but at the moment she just couldn't say no.

Mrs. Mathews smile widened a bit as she turned her gaze to Zeke and then her smile was replaced with a stern one. "As for you, you better behave yourself or you might make a mistake and regret it later."

Zeke rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom. I promise I will behave myself. The least you could do is treat me like an adult for crying out loud." He mumbled to himself.

"I heard that." Mrs. Mathews grumbled with a smirk on her face. "Go on you too or you'll be late! See you later for dinner, son!" She waved as both teens left the front porch and walked towards the direction of where Gaz lived.

"See you later, Mom!" Zeke waved back while Gaz nodded to her. When Mrs. Mathews went inside the house again and closed it behind her, Zeke turned to Gaz with a worried look. "Hey, you ok?"

Sighing that she was found out easily, Gaz looked up to him. "It's nothing. It's just that after spending time with your mom, I couldn't help but remember mine."

Zeke rubbed his thumb on his chin. "Now that you mentioned it, I never did ask about your mother. Where is she anyways?"

Gaz looked down with a blank look on her face. "Last time I saw her I was just 4 years old. From what I can remember, Mom used to spend her time doing house chores while Dad was busy being a scientist, as always." She grumbled the last part, she still hated how her father ignored them for the past 10 years of their lives. "Anyways, I actually don't know what happened to her because it happened in the middle of the night and Dad suddenly barged into Dib's and my room and woke us up, telling us that Mom has gone missing. Of course, Dad only spent about a week of looking for her before he went back to work, saying that if stopped working for too long then his _brilliance_ will be wasted. I hated him since then."

"Oh..." Zeke said sadly. "I'm sorry if I asked about her. She must still be a sensitive subject to talk about."

Gaz sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "It's ok... It's not like I could've done anything about it. I was just a kid after all. I think after Mom disappeared, that was when my personality changed drastically to what I am now. Also, it's all in the past now."

"But still... Don't you miss her?"

Gaz looked back at him, face still blank but Zeke could see the sadness in her eyes. Gaz didn't need to say anything as Zeke got the message by hugging her deeply and kissing her forehead. It was a good thing that it was still a quarter before 7 in the morning because if someone saw them then Gaz would've beaten him to a pulp. Instead, Gaz hugged him back with as much ferocity as he did.

"We used to play together..." She whispered in a monotone voice, hugging him by his waist and burying her face on his neck.

"Shh... Shh... I understand. I mean, I never got the chance to know my father too but I also know that it's harder on you since you did get to spend some time with your mother."

"It's just that... I used to smile a lot back then..." Gaz continued, hugging Zeke tighter. "Mom used to tell me that when I grow up I would be the class clown on how I laugh at the smallest of things... After she left, I started to get lonely... For the longest time... I was alone... I was always alone... I only realized how alone I really was until my mother left me... Until you came along..."

Zeke broke the hug and gently raised Gaz's chin so that they were now staring at each other's eyes. "Gaz, listen to me when I tell you this. As long as I am here, there will never be a moment that you'll feel that you're alone. As long as I'm here... I will try and fill in the gap of the hole your mother left in you as much as I possibly can... I know it's next to impossible to replace her but, as long as I am here, I will try..."

Gaz stared at his eyes for the longest time before she raised herself and kissed him deeply. It was only a few seconds later did Gaz pull away and glared at Zeke, who in return just raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"If you tell a soul at what just transpired here..."

"I know... I'll pay with my life with interest." Zeke laughed as he hugged Gaz and kissed her forehead one more time. "Honestly, since when am I a gossip?"

Gaz smirked as they continued walking. "You're not one but you do have a huge mouth along with that ego of yours."

Zeke scoffed as he took Gaz's hand and squeezed it. "There you go again. I told you before and I'm going to tell you again. I don't have a huge ego."

Gaz smiled, once again questioning herself how an idiot like him could make her smile. "Maybe because you do?" She teased.

"Sure, make fun of the guy that gave you a place to sleep in and food to eat." Zeke grumbled to himself.

Gaz snorted. "Excuse me? You say it like I have nowhere else to go. And you said your ego was not that big."

"Ugh... Whatever! Let's just hurry up or we'll be late, again. Mom has been interrogating me as to why the both of us a are always late for our classes. She thinks that we're actually fooling around." Zeke rolled his eyes at the memory. "I mean, really, that woman is a bad influence to me. She keeps insisting that I should take advantage of the fact that you were sleeping in my room. As if you wouldn't kill me if I did that."

Gaz chuckled as she imagined the mother and son conversation. "To tell you the truth, I really do like your mother. She's not like the other adults who are idiots and only care about money and fame."

Zeke raised an eyebrow. "Uhmm Gaz? Did you forget that Mom is your father's partner and is probably just as popular as him. Also, we are kind of rich since her pay is more than enough for the two of us."

"At least she doesn't brag about it..." She shrugged, then a mischievous smirk crossed her face. "Unlike her son."

Zeke facepalmed. "Seriously! Could we stop with this ego thing?! I'm not egotistical! If you don't stop I swear that I will do awful things to you." He grinned darkly.

Gaz matched his grin. "Oh? And what may that be?"

"For starters... I'm going to start calling you 'Darling'" His grin widened when he saw Gaz's eyes widened in alarm.

Catching herself, Gaz's eyes narrowed into slits. "You. Wouldn't. Dare..." She threatened with clenched teeth.

Ignoring her threat, Zeke continued. "Can you imagine how the students would react when they found out that the richest and most popular guy in skool is dating the creepiest girl ever?" Zeke taunted without shame, completely ignoring the part that he was boasting about himself.

Normally, calling a girl creepy was considered rude. Normally, what he just said wouldn't be a threat but a blessing since getting to date the guys like him were a dream come true to some girls. But Gaz was everything but normal. Sure, being called creepy was a compliment to her but everything else Zeke said would be a nightmare to her.

"Imagine this, the moment I call you a pet name, girls from all over skool will either admire you or curse your name for getting my attention, guys would try and steal your from me by flirting and or trying to impress you, and others would ask you questions in how you got my attention." Zeke continue to taunt her, loving every moment of it. Sure, she would probably try and get back at him for it but it was worth the risk.

Gaz sighed as she, reluctantly, conceded defeat. "Fine, I'll stop teasing you about your ego. Just don't spread it around skool about us."

"Of course! What kind of idiot do you think I am? I like keeping our relationship a secret as much as you do. It makes it special, you know." He said as he once again squeezed Gaz's hand for reassurance.

Gaz rolled her eyes. "You know, for someone who likes to act tough, you sure are sappy."

Zeke smirked. "Looks who's talking Miss 'I Like To Act Tough By Intimidating Others'." Zeke once again teased as they continued on their way towards Gaz's house.

Gaz decided to ignore Zeke's taunting since she didn't really want to confirm what he just said.

o. o. o.

"Where is she?" Dib asked himself as he continued to pace around the room in worry. As much as he wanted to think that Gaz could take care of herself, he was still worried since she was his little sister, no matter how many times she proved that she was the mature one of the siblings.

"Calm down, Son." Professor Membrane said in his authoritative voice as if Gaz's disappearance was nothing to be worried about. It was like he knew something that Dib didn't.

"How can I calm down when I don't even know where my own sister is?!" Dib shouted hysterically. True, he didn't really know his sister was missing until earlier that breakfast when Gaz wasn't present when she was always the one who appeared first. "For all we know, she could be lost in the forest or worse, being kidnapped!"

"Nonsense!" Professor Membrane shouted. "She is a Membrane! Membranes are above the human species and no offspring of mine is that incompetent!" He boasted, striking a pose.

"Ugh! Dad! Listen to yourself!" Dib protested, reaching his limit since he was already refusing to listen to reason. If was calm then he would've realized sooner that his dad was right. Gaz was no ordinary human since she already exhibited skills beyond her age. "Could you for once try and act like you care for our well-being?!" He snapped.

Professor Membrane winced at that, although it was hard to tell since he was still wearing his goggles and the collar of his lab coat was covering the lower part of his face.

"Of course I care Son! Why, I even sent you two gifts for your birthdays last month!" He defended himself.

"My birthday isn't for another 3 months!" Dib countered. "Look Dad, as much as I want to argue with you about your parenting skills, looking for Gaz is more important!" He started walking towards the front door as he looked back at his father. "I'll try and see if I could find any clues in her classroom!"

Before he could touch the doorknob, the door opened prompting Dib to jump back in surprise. As the door opened, Gaz and Zeke entered the house and closed it behind them.

Silence filled the room as both sides looked at each other.

Dib snapped out of his surprise and glared at the two teens, crossing his arms in trying to look intimidating. "Where have you been?!" He demanded.

Gaz just stared blankly at him before shrugging walking past him, up to the stairs, and into her room, closing it behind her.

Dib's jaw dropped at what just happened, hand raised uselessly to try and stop Gaz from walking.

Zeke walked next to the teen and patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"Dude... I know that feeling... She always does that to me." Zeke said with a sigh before turning to Professor Membrane and his smile returned to his face. "Morning Professor! Lovely day we're having!"

Shaking his surprise away, Professor Membrane boomed in laughter and struck a pose. "Ah yes! It is indeed a wondrous day! In fact, it is so wondrous that I shall return to my lab and start working on my projects again! Till we meet again, Zeke, Dib!" He boomed before storming back to his lab. Now that Gaz was back, he didn't have to worry about Dib panicking and causing trouble in finding his 'lost' sister.

Professor Membrane suddenly backtracked and stood in front of Zeke. "By the way, young man. There is something I need to address before you leave with my daughter."

Professor Membrane's gloved hand rested on Zeke's shoulder and he could feel it squeeze him.

"Listen, you are the only person I've ever seen with my daughter and know that you will also probably be the last." Coughing on his other hand, he continued. "What I'm trying to say is, I entrust my daughter to you. Please don't disappoint me..."

Before Zeke could reply, he left for his lab once again.

"See?!" Dib shouted, pointing towards where his dad went. "This is what I deal with everyday!" He complained. "They keep ignoring me! Gaz ignores me because she thinks I'm worthless and Dad ignores me because because he cares about his researches more!"

"It's ok, dude..." Zeke reassured. "You just gotta learn to live with it."

Dib sighed as he walked to the sofa and sat down with Zeke sitting next to him.

Sighing again, Dib turned to Zeke. "Let me guess, she spent the night with you again, didn't she?"

"Yep. I was going to call you but she insisted that I shouldn't. She said that you were not worth wasting time on telling."

"Of course. I've noticed that she had fresh set of clothes on." Dib said with a raised eyebrow. "Where did she sleep last night?" He asked, not even trying to hide tone.

Zeke laughed nervously. "Take a wild guess..."

Dib groaned as he covered his face with his hands.

Before Zeke could comfort him, they heard footsteps going down the stairs. Looking up, they saw Gaz walk towards them before pulling on Zeke's shirt and dragging him out the door, closing it behind them.

"Another day, another headache coming it's way..." Dib droned as he slowly stood up and went to get his things ready. If Gaz was going to ignore him then it was best that he let her be. No point in trying to reason with someone who could possibly hurt him in multiple painful ways.

o. o. o.

"Aren't you being a little too hard on Dib?" Zeke asked as both teens continued walking to skool. "I mean, he was just worried about your whereabouts."

Gaz snorted. "Doesn't mean anything to me. Dib is, and always has been, an annoyance to me. He tries to act like he's in charge when in the end he's the one making the mess even bigger than it should have been."

"Come on Gaz... Cut your brother some slack. Sure, he's rather impulsive but that doesn't mean that he can't do good once in a while, right?"

"It's not whether or not he doesn't do good. It's that he doesn't learn his lessons. He keeps making the same mistakes over and over and over." Gaz frowned at that. "It's like he completely ignores every mistakes he makes and just focus on what he thinks he has done right."

Zeke sighed, reluctantly agreeing with what she said. "Could you at least try be nice to him? At least once in a while?"

"I have you for that. Like I told you before, I have no time for people who have no sense of direction in their lives."

Zeke was about to retort when he saw several students looked towards their direction and started whispering to each other. He noted that the one talking was looked directly at Gaz. He just shrugged and started ignoring them since this always happened when the two of them were seen together. He just couldn't understand why the other students thought it was weird that he was hanging out with Gaz. It wasn't like she looked weird or anything like that. If she was sociable then she probably be one of the most popular girls in skool. Too bad she'd rather drink bleach than try and be friendly towards others.

Zeke tried to imagine her making friends, smiling the whole time, only to shudder in fear horror when he thought about it. Gaz? Nice? Yeah, he'd rather wait for the apocalypse than that to happen.

Shaking his head, he turned back to look at Gaz, face still devoid of emotion. He always marveled at how in control she was with her emotions. It made one wonder how many hardships she has endured just to get those kinds of results.

Zeke was so lost in his thoughts that when he was snapped out of it, he was already in front of Gaz's room.

Composing himself, he smiled at Gaz, who was waiting for him to do his usual embarrassment of her.

"So... See you at lunch?" He asked confidently, making other girls swoon in his direction.

Gaz rolled her eyes. "As if I can stop you from approaching me then, yes, see you at lunch." She didn't even wait for what he was about to say before entering her classroom.

'Hey, did you hear?'

'Yeah, so does that mean it's true?'

'No idea but considering who we are talking about...'

'You might be right.'

Gaz ignored the whispers she was hearing as she sat down on her chair. Looking down on the table, words were written all over it.

Tramp.

Tart.

Floozy.

And other words that shouldn't be said in public.

Blinking to herself, Gaz had to wonder who was brave enough to write it on her table. Looking up, she was just able to see her classmates turn away from her quickly while others where starting to whisper towards each other. Gaz didn't so much as blink as he took out her Game Slave from her pocket.

Strange, it has been a while since she last played games.

"Well well well, look at what the cat dragged in." A male teen said as he and his friends approached Gaz's table. "I'm surprised that you have the guts to show your face in skool." He continued to boast, his friends snickering behind him.

Gaz mentally raised an eyebrow. Since when were the boys in her class this stupid? All of her classmates knew that approaching her while she was playing her video games was a very bad idea and these idiots were actually mocking her.

Those poor, poor fools.

Seeing that Gaz wasn't reacting to his taunts, he decided to be bolder. "You know, you're not that tough. I bet that you try to act tough because you miss your mommy!" He mocked, his friends now laughing hysterically. They were so busy laughing that they didn't even notice Gaz's demeanor darken. "What? You think we didn't know that your mother left? Hah! Isn't your father supposed to be famous? I mean, he's always on the t.v. and not once have I seen you or your crazy brother with him! I guess it would only be a matter of time before he would leave you t-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence since Gaz was now choking him. While he was taunting, he was facing the other students while his back turned to Gaz, which was a mistake he was going to pay. When he turned back to try and look at her expression, that was when Gaz made her move and grasped his neck, choking him.

"H-Hey! Let him go, o-or else!" One of his friends warned, although he was shaking in fear. It was only then did he realize who they were making fun of.

It was only then did he realize that he remembered why nobody messed with Gaz Membrane.

"You know, I'm curious as to why you are acting like I owe you or something." Gaz said casually as if she wasn't choking someone to death. "Tell me one good reason why I should let you go. Now." She demanded, tightening her grasp.

"There are rumors running around skool!" The third friend shouted.

"Rumors? What kind of rumors?" Gaz asked, eyes narrowing. She wasn't curious that there were rumors about her, she was more curious at what those rumors were.

"R-R-Rumors about y-y-you sleeping with older men..." The boy stuttered, clearly unnerved at being the center of attention. "O-Other students claim that th-they've seen you t-talking with b-b-businessmen a-and..." He was rambling now as Gaz's stare never left him. Her blank expression never changing even before they started taunting her.

"Is that all?" She asked in a monotone voice. "I find it funny how you guys act like you can actually scare me..." This time, her expression did change and all the teens there paled in what they saw. Gaz was smiling like she was a kid given their present a week before their birthday. Only her eyes were dull in color, like there was no life in them. "Please, keep this up, it's been a long time since I've loosen up my body." As she said this, the teen she was choking was starting to look paler.

"W-We're sorry!" The second friend shouted as he fell to his knees, followed by the third. "We promise not to bother you anymore! I beg you! We'll do anything!"

Gaz's smile faded and her face was once again blank. "Anything?"

* * *

 **AN:** Rumors... amiright?


	28. Hearsay

**Disclaimer:** Psst... Invader Zim is not mine.

 **AN:** Things just get more confusing the closer we get to the dance, aren't they? Is therer going to be answers now or are we going to get even more puzzles?

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Hearsay** **"**

"I'm going to regret asking this but... What did you do?" Zeke asked in exasperation.

Just that morning, students around him were talking about Gaz... and not the good kind.

He kept hearing about how Gaz was seen flirting with a businessman. How she was renting out herself for some quick money.

To say that Zeke was angry was like saying that Dib was only mildly crazy. Not a kind analogy regarding his friend but the meaning was still there.

Zeke was about to lash when he heard someone say that Gaz was a whore when he stopped himself. There was no use in shouting at someone just because of rumors. First things first, he needed to find Gaz and ask her what she though about all this. Now that he had a plan, all he had to do was wait until lunch where they'll meet at their table.

Imagine Zeke's surprise and confusion where not only was Gaz on their usual table but with not one, but three boys standing around her. If Zeke didn't know better, he would've thought that Gaz was doing this just to make him jealous. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought that Gaz was just showing to everyone that the rumors were true.

But, then again, he knew Gaz on a personal level. That meant that these boys were not here willingly. In fact, he had a pretty good idea what happened.

"I'm sorry, but Ms. Membrane does not want to be disturb as she is currently busy with important business." One of the boys, the one who's neck looked like he was just strangled, droned with a manic look in his eyes. From the way he was fidgeting, he looked like he wanted to get away from where he was as soon as possible.

Zeke turned his Gaz towards Gaz and saw that she was busy playing video games, obviously.

Sighing to himself, he looked tiredly back to the boy. "Uhuh... So at what time is 'Ms. Membrane' supposed to be available? I need to ask her something important" Zeke asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"I'm sorry, but Ms. Membrane will not be expecting company today. Try asking again tomorrow and we'll see if there is some space on her already busy schedule." The same boy droned in the same voice as the other two were busy tending on Gaz. And by tending they were fanning her. Even though her face was passive, Zeke could see a ghost of a smirk on her stoic face.

"Uhuh..." Zeke nodded unconvincingly. "Oh well... Just like Ms. Membrane over there, I also am on a tight schedule... I mean, there were these girls in my class asking if I was going to the dance this Friday and I so wanted to tell them that I was but I think I need to tell them the truth." He turned around and smirked to himself. He knew what was going to happen next and just before he could start walking away, a hand rested on his shoulder and gripped it in a vice. He turned his face into confusion as he was forcibly turned around.

"Fine, what do you want?" Gaz said in her usual dull voice but her eyes were saying a different thing. They were almost narrowed into slits. "This better be important because you know how much I hate it when someone interrupts me when I'm playing, isn't that right boys?" She asked as she turned towards the three boys with her.

The three of them paled as they nodded their heads vigorously.

Seeing their reactions, Zeke sighed when his theories were right. "So, what did they do to earn your wrath?"

Gaz shrugged as she looked back at the boy talking earlier, the same boy that tried to make fun of her mother. The same boy that she almost choked to death. She smiled sweetly at him making the boy freeze and pale even more than before. If Gaz didn't turn back to Zeke then the boy would've embarrassed himself by peeing on the spot.

"Nothing really... I was just minding my own business when these fine young gentlemen interrupted my peace." She said in an all too sweet tone, something that Gaz didn't do. "Then, I asked them to shut up and then they decided to ask for my apology by being my personal maids."

"You mean butlers, right?" Zeke asked in a resigned tone. He knew that Gaz wasn't lying, but at the same time knew that she was stretching the truth. Calling her out would not get them anywhere so he decided to ignore it and went with the present problem.

How was he going to convince her to let them go?

"Nope, maids. It's really a shame that we don't have maid uniforms in this skool. They would've looked really good in them. Maybe I can make some calls and asks for some favors for them." The fact that she said it with a straight face only made it clear that she was serious. She was really going all out.

What did they actually say or do to piss her off that much?

Zeke shivered in fear when he realized that Gaz could've done something much, much worse to the other teens than what they were experiencing right now. He flashed back to the back alley where Gaz "took care" of her problems and show it to them. They would probably die of the shock of finding out that the killed on the loose was actually a teenage girl in their skool.

It was kind of funny actually. Hahaha... No, it was not.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he regarded his not-girlfriend again. Gaz was just staring at him with her usual blank face. He wondered if he should ask her what really happened. Of course, he could probably pry it out of her if he was determined enough. Nodding to himself, he decided to change the subject.

"So Gaz, have you heard the rumors yet?" He asked in an attempt to redirect the conversation.

Mentally smacking himself on the face, he thought bitterly. _Smooth move, Casanova. Of course she heard it! Everyone is talking about it! Geez, one minute you can sweet talk her into kissing you then the next you act like a complete amateur!_ Zeke mentally berated himself.

"That depends, which rumors are you talking about?" She asked back with her usual even tone. "Are you talking about the usual or the more recent ones?"

Zeke sighed. Oh this was going to be harder than he thought. "The ones involving you." He replied evenly, completely serious about it. Even though he was ignoring them that didn't mean that he liked it. "You know, the ones where they say that you are involved with _other men?_ " He asked the question so loud that everyone there stopped what they were doing and turned their attention towards the "Weird" table, eyes full of curiosity.

Everyone in skool pretty much already knew that Zeke was somewhat interested in Gaz. Normally, when there was a new student in skool, everyone would be curious about them for about a day or so before completely forgetting about them the next day. Zeke on the other hand, was not like any other new student. For starters, he was considered very handsome towards the female population so it wasn't quite surprising when he became instantly popular. With that said, when Zeke started following Gaz around, it was inevitable that everyone would hear about it before the day ended.

Now, that's when Newton's third law kicks in. Since Zeke was popular and he was interested in a nobody, that nobody will suddenly have a boost in their own popularity, much to the latter's dismay. Then there came rumors about Gaz renting her body to businessmen. Of course those were only rumors but it was just too tempting not to get involved in it.

"Huh... Never heard of it, actually." Gaz said nonchalantly as she went back to her original position with Zeke now beside her. "To tell you the truth, I thought the rumors were about me blackmailing the teachers." She continued, not particularly caring that she blatantly told everyone how she passed her classes. Not that they could do anything about that information since the teachers would probably deny such accusations since they were still afraid Gaz would reveal their deep, dark secrets to the public.

Of how she loved blackmails.

Zeke rolled his eyes, not a bit surprised at her confession. "Of course you would think something as serious as that was the reason... No, as I've said, the rumors I've heard were about the ones where you were supposed to be spending time with some rich folk for some cash."

Gaz blinked blankly at him. "Is that all? Well, I wouldn't say those were rumors. At least, the part where I take their money is true."

Zeke slapped himself and groaned. "Sure, tell everyone what you do in your free time. It's not like you care about what everyone thinks of you or anything. Oh wait... You don't..." Zeke sighed as he rubbed his temples, ignoring the gaping looks of shock on everyone else's faces. Who wouldn't be when the subject of the rumor herself admitted they were true. What was more surprising was the fact that Zeke was not mad at her for admitting but because how easily she said it. Leaning closer, Zeke whispered into her ear. "I know that we both know that you don't really care what people think of you but think about the repercussions, things could go from bad to worse."

Just when Gaz was about to retort to what Zeke said, the doors to the entrance of the cafeteria slammed open as Dib stormed in with a frown on his face, walking directly towards their table. Zeke once again sighed as he already knew what was going to happen next.

"See what I mean." Zeke continued to whisper before leaning away from the clearly infuriated Dib, not wanting to get involved in what was obviously going to be a one-sided argument.

"GAZ! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Dib roared as he slammed his hands on the table, shoving the teen that was trying to keep him away from his mistress.

"Hmm?" Gaz hummed as she regarded him as if he didn't just shout at her. "I think you need to be more specific than that because I don't know what you're talking about." The dryness in her voice was obvious.

Dib growled, looking like he was going to pounce at her. Knowing Gaz, she probably wanted it to happen just to see who was physically stronger between the two. "You know what I mean..." Dib growled. "What is this rumor I'm hearing about you sleeping with men?!" He once again roared, disregarding the fact that they were currently inside a crowded place.

Gaz rolled her eyes, unfazed by his outrage. "Like I said earlier, you need to be more specific since I don't know which one you're talking about. Obviously, you know that I already sleep with someone else." She said with a faint smirk, ignoring the wide-eyed looks the other students were giving them.

Zeke mentally groaned as Gaz once again made things worse for her. For once in her life, couldn't she just make things easier for herself? Why did she always act like everything was a game?

He already knew the answer to that so he decided to watch and see what was going to happen next.

Dib started grinding his teeth in frustration. Why? Why was she being so hard? Was it really that hard to take him seriously?

While he was seething, he didn't notice that the other students left the cafeteria since the bell just rang, leaving only the three of them there.

Before Dib could open his mouth, Gaz opened hers first.

"Dib, I think I need to be honest with you..." Gaz sighed as she stood from her seat. "Do you know why life seems to be against you? Why life seems to be unfair when it comes to you?"

Dib frowned but decided to answer her. "Because I haven't proven myself yet!" He said with determination. "Because I need everyone to see how competent I am!"

Gaz shook her head. "That's why. You always try to show everyone what you are capable of. You think just because everyone sees your achievements that they will start respecting you?" She snorted as she stepped forward until she was in front of him. "For your whole life, all you've ever cared about is yourself."

"That's not true!" He shouted in defiance, balling his fists in frustration. "For as long as I can remember, all I've ever done is try and protect this planet from aliens!"

Gaz raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms under her chest. "So? Protecting something because you want to is different from protecting it because of trying to be approved of. If you truly just wanted to protect everyone then you wouldn't try and tell them what you are doing every single day. The fact that you are doing that makes your claim invalid."

"I'm not boasting about it! I'm just trying to warn them!" He reasoned, although on the inside he was starting to doubt himself. "You don't know how hard it is trying to protect someone who doesn't even know that they're in danger." He said while looking at her as if she was to blame.

Gaz sighed as she started walking away. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you're just under the illusion that the world revolves around you. Remember this Dib, everything you do, everything you say, everything you will try to achieve will mean nothing if you're doing it for the wrong reasons." She turned back to him with an unreadable expression on her face. "That is why you will always fail. That is why you never get anything done right. That is why you are incompetent and why you will always be weak to me. I'll be staying at Zeke's tonight just so that you will not search for me later."

Dib just stood there, rooted in place as he stared at where Gaz was just moments ago. No matter how much he thought about it, he just couldn't comprehend what Gaz just said.

"She's right, you know, even if she said it in the harshest way she could." Zeke said as he also stood from his seat and walked towards his friend. "Because you always set your focus on the destination, you are blind towards the consequences that could happen along the way. Want my advice? Keep an open mind and listen what others has to say to you. You never know, sometimes it's other people's opinions that could probably help you with your problems."

Zeke showed his signature smirk as he started pushing Dib. "Now, come on, we have class to attend to."

o. o. o.

No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't forget what Gaz and Zeke said. It was all he could think about all afternoon. He was so focused on it that the other students were getting worried. They knew that when he was being quiet that meant that he was planning something. And when he was planning something, that meant that something bad would happen.

He was snapped from his thoughts when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Looking up, he saw Gretchen there smiling nervously at him.

"H-Hey Dib..." She stuttered, clearly nervous being in front of her crush. "I was wondering if, you know... if you would like to get some ice cream with me?" She asked hopefully.

Dib just blinked owlishly, once again dumbfounded at that was happening in front of him. This was actually the first time in his life that someone, other than his father and even that was rare, asked him if he wanted to get some ice cream so he really didn't know what to do.

Not finding anything bad about it, he smiled at her and responded. "Sure, we can go to that ice cream parlor across the park."

"R-Really?!" She shrilled, not expecting for her crush to accept her invitation. "S-Sure... We can go later, after skool! See you later Dib!" She once againg squealed as she skipped away.

Dib chuckled softly before someone tapped him on the shoulder again. Turning around, he was greeted with Zeke's amused face. "Dude... You just accepted a date with your girlfriend's friend..." Zeke said with a huge grin on his face. "This should be fun..."

Dib frowned, confused why he thought it was funny. "Ok, first, Kat and I are not publicly dating so, technically, she is not my girlfriend. Second, this is not a date. I only accepted her offer because nobody, and I mean girls, has ever asked me to get ice cream with them. I would be a fool if I rejected her offer."

Zeke facepalmed at that. "Dude... Just because you think that you two aren't dating doesn't mean that she thinks the same way. I mean, after what happened a week ago, everyone thinks that you two are dating. Do you realize what will happen if anyone sees you with Gretchen eating ice cream of all things? Trust me when I tell you that there is going to be drama."

"Y-You're kidding, right?" Dib asked as he started to pale. "Please tell me your kidding!" He pleaded.

"I wish I was man... No worries though, I will pray for you..."

"You're not helping!"

* * *

 **AN:** Things are getting interesting, aren't they?


	29. Acceptance

**Disclaimer:** Psst... Invader Zim is not mine.

 **AN:** What will Dib do? How will he get out of this sticky situation? Find out in this chapter!

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Acceptance** **"**

"You're not helping!"

"Come on! It's not that bad! At least _you_ know that it isn't going to be a date, right?" Zeke tried to reason. "Also, don't you feel bad for her? All this time she had this crush on you only to get her heart crushed because her friend, her _best friend_ to be exact, was actually in a relationship with said crush. That must've hurt her very much."

Dib moaned, and slumped on his chair. "Wow. That was a low blow, man. Thanks for the guilt trip."

Zeke snorted as he punched Dib lightly on the arm. "Don't be such a downer. It's just ice cream! What could possibly go wrong?"

Dib glared at him. "You know that you just jinxed it, right?" Dib deadpanned.

"Psh! Just stop worrying about it and just go."

"Fine." Dib grumbled as he turned just in time to see the substitute, probably the permanent now since they still couldn't find Ms. Bitters, teacher walked in the room and told all the students to sit down. "I just know that this is going to be bad."

o. o. o.

"Are you ready?" Zeke asked as both teens exited the room as the teacher dismissed Ms. Bitters, this teacher actually dismissed their class 5 minutes before the bell rings, giving the students a little bit of breathing room before the students from the other classes were also dismissed. "Remember, from what I've seen Gretchen is the nervous type and can get scared easily. What I want you to do is try and talk slowly to her. Don't try hogging the conversation and give her a chance to speak her mind."

"Are you trying to reassure me or are you giving me dating tips?" Dib glared at the taller teen. "Like I said, this is not a date. We are just getting ice cream, the two of us, alone, and nobody else... Ok, maybe it is a date... But not a date date!" Dib finished lamely in denial.

"Whatever you say, man... Whatever you say..." Zeke chuckled as they made their way to the exit. Zeke held back a yelp when he was suddenly pulled back. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a slender hand gripping his shoulder tightly. Tracing the hand back to the face of Gaz, whose expression was as blank as ever. "Hello there, my lady. I was just about to escort your brother here to his not-date when you stopped me." Zeke said with his ever present lopsided smirk.

Gaz's face remained in it's passive state when she said. "Take me to the dance."

Even though the whole hallway was full of students and the noise they were making made it hard to hear over the others, everybody stopped what they were doing and stared star-eyed at the two of them.

Zeke merely raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it supposed to be the guy that invites the girl and not the other way around? Also, you want me to invite you to my dance? What about yours, aren't you going?" he asked curiously.

Gaz shrugged as the students once again started talking between each other while glancing at the oblivious pair. "I don't care who invites who, I still want you to take _me_ to _your_ dance, get it? And about my dance, why would I waste my time spending the whole night with kids?"

"Uhh... Aren't your classmates supposed to be at around 18? You know, as in _adults_?" Zeke asked incredulously.

Gaz rolled her eyes as she clicked her tongue. "You'd think they'd realized that by now. No, those bumbling idiots still act like ten year olds."

"Hey," Zeke pouted, "I take offense to that! How come you never complain when I act like a ten year old?" He mock gasped and put a hand on his heart. "Unless... Unless you've been talking behind my back all this time, haven't you?!" He gave her a look of betrayal. "H-How could you?! After everything we've been through!"

Once again, everyone there except for the two of them got the wrong idea and thought that Gaz just told Zeke that the rumors were actually true. Of course, neither of them were going to clarify it because they don't particularly care by this point.

Gaz once again rolled her eyes. "Stop being so dramatic. Anyways, you are taking me to your dance and that is final. Anyways, what were you and Dib going to do? And what is this I heard about Dib taking a certain girl to get ice cream?"

Zeke chuckled as he grabbed Gaz's hand and started guiding her to the exit, trying to catch up to Dib. "It's actually just a misunderstanding. You know how Dib _pushes_ people away from him?"

"You mean aside from being known as a freak that believes in aliens and one day they will take over the world? Yeah, I know about that. What about it?" Gaz supplied without hesitation.

Zeke scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "You see, Gretchen invited Dib to get some ice cream together. You know, just the two of them. Dib, who probably hasn't been invited by anyone until now, didn't think twice in accepting her offer. It was actually too late when he realized the implication of what he just agreed on as Gretchen started skipping away since her crush accepted her invitation."

"So Dib is now trying to continue with this because he doesn't want to be rude to her and try and convince her that it would not be a date, right?" Gaz continued, already knowing what was going to happen next.

Zeke nodded. "Right. Before you pulled me away, I was actually giving him pointers in how to have a successful date since it would obviously be a date no matter how you would look at it."

"Knowing Dib, he probably thinks that he's betraying Tak's trust."

Zeke stopped and looked back at Gaz with a raised eyebrow. "Tak? Who's Tak? Does Dib actually have a relationship outside of this skool?"

"Tak is Kat's real name." Gaz corrected.

Zeke frowned. "Wait, back up. You mean to tell me that Kat, or rather Tak, has a very convincing human disguise but she couldn't bother to think of a better name than Kat?" Zeke asked incredulously.

Gaz shrugged as she started pulling Zeke since the latter had completely stopped walking. "Hey, if she was able to convince everyone that she doesn't have a last name then I think it's safe to assume that people are gullible enough to believe in her name. I mean, she has stayed in this planet for so many years already that she probably thought that thinking of a complicated name was just not worth it."

Zeke nodded in understanding, not bother to say anything.

When they got outside, Dib was already talking to an excited Gretchen who looked like she was trying very hard not to squeal with how red her face was for Dib's sake.

Without waiting for Zeke and Gaz to get closer, Dib and Gretchen left the skool on their way to the ice cream parlor.

"Hey," Zeke said as the Dib and Gretchen passed a corner, "Wanna do something stupid?"

Gaz turned her head and stared at Zeke's eyes. "You want to stalk them, don't you?" Gaz asked even though she already know the answer for it.

Zeke shrugged as both teens started walking towards the direction where the previous pair walked. "Beats staying at skool and listening to all kinds of rumors. I'd rather see how Dib would handle his current situation. Knowing him, something bad will probably happen."

"Let me guess, when things get out of hand, you will find a way to get their attention and then do something stupid to make them forget about the awkwardness, am I right?" Gaz drawled, clearly not as invested as Zeke regarding their stalking.

Zeke pouted when they rounded the corner and could see Dib and Gretchen from a distance. "You make it sound like I have nothing better to do." He grumbled.

"Because I am." Gaz smirked. "Can't blame you though. Skool has been irritating me more than usual because of what happened earlier, all I want to see now is some good old comedy."

"You know, I think it's kind of sad that you only use your brother as some sort of entertainment... Can't you give the guy a break and actually show some care for him?" Zeke sighed, already knowing what her answer was going to be.

Gaz snorted, as expected, and looked at Zeke in the eyes. "And for what reason? He wants my respect then he's going to have to earn it. Just because he looks pathetic doesn't mean he deserves my sympathy, which I lack to begin with so why even bother." Gaz said with a shake of her head. _Seriously, why was everyone obsessed of being noticed and/or popularity? Those are just useless on the long run anway._ Gaz mused to herself when Zeke didn't comment on what she said earlier.

"Besides, doesn't he have friends to do that for him? What does he need me for?" Zeke could've sworn that he heard a teeny weeny bit of jealousy in her voice... Or maybe it was just wishful thinking when Gaz continued. "Or maybe friends is not the right word... Acquaintances? People he hangs out with? People who tolerate him, at least?" Gaz made some guesses without remorse.

"Or you could just stick with friends..." Zeke sighed as they saw Dib and Gretchen enter the parlor. "You know, just because you think other people are useless doesn't mean that they actually are... You just gotta give them a chance, you know. I mean, you gave me a chance, right?" He said, trying to see if he could convince her otherwise.

Gaz gave him a sideways glance before smirking at him. "True... but then again, you are tolerable, I suppose. Unlike those other idiots, at least you try and act your age... sometimes..."

"Hey... I disagree with that." Zeke laughed as they got near the parlor and saw through the window where Dib and Gretchen were sitting. "Anyways, let's sit somewhere they can't clearly see us. There, by the window." He said, pointing to a table outside the parlor where hidden from Dib's view.

Gaz rolled her eyes as she followed his lead. "I still think this is a waste of time. I would rather watch paint dry than watch my dear old brother embarrass himself." She sighed but sat down on the chair, Zeke opposite of her. "Look, the only reason why I'm here right now is because you asked me to. So you better be thankful or else." She gave him a warning glance, although it was unthreatening.

Zeke just gave her a warm smile. "I know and I'm thankful for it. You could have just straight out said no but you still came here with me. You know what? This could be a date for us too! Just because we are spying on them doesn't mean we can't have fun ourselves!" He exclaimed, his face actually beaming. "It's like hitting two birds with one stone!"

Gaz rolled her eyes but couldn't fight the smile forming on her face. _Of course he would come to that conclusion... I'm not even surprised by this point._ Gaz mused to herself while she scoffed. "You are probably the only person I know that would think that spying on someone is considered a date. I actually like it. It gives dating a unique twist." She said with a smirk, glancing at Dib as he and his not-date started ordering. "Then again, it would only be a matter of time before Dib will do something stupid and cause an uproar."

o. o. o.

"Interesting..." Tak mused as she observed the readings on the computer screen.

She was absent from skool that day, obviously thinking that Earthling knowledge was not up to her standards and decided to stay at home to continue researching about the rogue Irken.

Unlike Zim's house, Tak's actually looked like a normal one with mundane colors and very boring decorations outside. On the inside though, it was more technology than furniture.

Her home was more of a laboratory rather than of a traditional house. Multiple monitors were mounted on the walls with wires running throughout the whole house. Giant tubes filled with all sorts of liquids in various shapes and sizes can be seen all over the rooms. Because of the monitors, Tak never bothered using the lights so it ended up burning up.

Home... When did she start referring her laboratory as her home? In fat, when was the last time she have seen Irk? How long was it? 4? 5? 6 years?

Tak shook her head and glared at the screen. Now was not the time thinking about the past. What's important was the present and currently they have an Irken invader in the planet that was needed to be hunted down. This planet was not big enough for two Irkens.

With renewed vigor, Tak doubled her efforts in searching for clues regarding the Irken throughout the whole internet. Sightings, rumors, hearsays... anything that will help connect to the mysterious alien. She didn't show it to the others but she was actually terrified when they discovered the other Irken. The fact that they were able to enter the planet without her notice unnerved her.

"This is very interesting..." She continued to muse to herself. "According to these reports, strange disappearances has been happening all throughout the city. According to the reports, each disappearance has no significant connection to any others. The victims themselves are random at best. None of them have any connections with each other. Some had the same hair color, same eye color, same gender but those were just mere coincidences." Narrowing her eyes, she continued with trying to connect them. "There must be a connection. Aside from the fact that none of them has been found yet, there must be something that I've completely missed and overlooked."

Tak clicked her teeth when her antennae started ringing. She adjusted them and continued typing.

"Yes? Kat speaking." She inquired the caller. While the caller was talking, Tak's left eyebrow was gradually rising until it reached its peak. "Really?... That is quite interesting... Yes... Yes... Uh-huh... I've heard some of it but I didn't think they were actually factual... Of course... Ok, talk to you later..."

Tak hung up and smirked to herself. "Looks like my theory was right. Like always, humans are so predictable." She commented beforing glancing to another monitor where it displays a certain cartoon character with multiple females around him. "Of course, if there is going to be an alpha, it's going to be me."

* * *

 **AN:** Sorry for the super delay but I've been busy with the holidays and such. Seasons greetings everyone!


	30. Desire

**Disclaimer:** Psst... Invader Zim is not mine.

 **AN:** What will happen now? What did Tak read and why did she think it was interesting? Maybe we'll find out in this chapter.

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Desire** **"**

"So uhmm... Gretchen... What would you like to order?" Dib started awkwardly as he tried to search through the menu for something to eat. Of course, there was not a lot of variety to choose from since this was a ice cream parlor.

"I-I th-think I'll be having the ch-chocolate parfait..." Gretchen mumbled with a prominent blush on her face. She still couldn't believe that she was on a date with her long time crush! She so wanted to squeal at that moment but resisted the urge just to leave a good impression to her crush. "I-I just want to th-thank you for going on th-this d-d-da..." But she couldn't finish because her face was becoming as red as tomato and couldn't get a single word out.

Dib resisted the urge to sigh and just smiled at her. There was no point in making the girl sad. "It's no problem. I mean, to tell you the truth, this is actually my first date..." He scratched the back of his neck as he mentally smacked himself. _Idiot! Why did you say that?! There was no need for you to reveal that kind of information!_

Unbeknownst to him, Gretchen was mentally screaming to herself. _Oh my god! I'm his first date?! OH MY GOD! Wait... Does that also mean that I could also be his first kiss?!_ Gretchen knew that Dib and Kat would've already had their first kiss but she was still going to take her chance and have him _her_ first kiss. "R-Really? This is my first time too..." She whispered, trying her hardest not to sound so eager. "It's like we were destined to date..."

"Hehehe... Yeah... I guess..." _This is bad! This is really bad!_ Dib groaned to himself. _I'm supposed to hint to her that this is not a date! Not only have I told her that this is my first time but I also agreed with her that we were destined to be dating!_ Desperately searching for a way to save himself, he discretely looked around, only to find a pair of eyes staring back at him from the front of the shop. Looking closer, he could also see a mop of purple hair just sticking out from below the window. His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly...

No...

It couldn't be...

Seeing that he was discovered, Zeke beamed at him and also giving him a thumbs up. Ignoring his friend and looking to the side, he saw Gaz briefly look at him before turning back to the menu on her hands.

There was no way...

"Dib, are you ok? Is something wrong?" Gretchen asked as Dib continued to look blankly at her. Gretchen was facing away from the window so she thought that Dib was staring at him when in actuality he was staring at the pair outside the parlor.

Please... For everything that is holy... Please let this only be a nightmare and I'm going to wake up any minute...

"Dib?" Gretchen was now worried since Dib was not responding and also because he was not blinking anymore. "Are you sure you're ok? We can postpone this for a later date and we could go to your house so you could rest." Gretchen suggested. She wasn't against the idea since it also meant that she would be able to visit Dib's house.

Dib's silent screaming was cut off and he shook his head and stared at his date. "Whu?"

"I asked if you were ok?" She asked again hesitantly, fearing that she was invading his privacy.

"Oh, yeah sure! I'm fine! I mean... yeah, everything is alright. Nothing to worry about." Dib reassured her with a smile. _This is definitely not a dream! What are those two doing here?! Are they spying on me?! More importantly, why is Gaz here?!_ He continued to mentally question himself, fearing the worst since Gaz was involved. There has got be a reason why they were here. Maybe they decided to have a date here too. Yeah, it could be that. Maybe Gaz suddenly had this urge to have ice cream and Zeke suggested this one.

Glancing back at the other pair, Dib could only groan as Zeke signaled him to focus on Gretchen. Gaz on the other just raised an eyebrow at him before looking back and Zeke and told him something that made him laugh. She was probably telling Zeke how pathetic he looked.

Nope. They were here because of his date. Wonderful. Just what he needed, more distraction.

"So Dib... There was actually another reason why I wanted to go out with you today..." Gretchen started, not noticing Dib's troubled face since she was busy trying not to get lost in his eyes.

Dib once again snapped out of his inner turmoil and focused on his not-date. "Oh? That sounds interesting..."

"Well... Y-You see..." Gretchen took a deep breath and looked at Dib seriously, catching the boy off guard. "Jes and Zita are missing..." She said with conviction.

Dib's eyes widened and he failed to notice that Zeke's eyes widened too.

"What do you mean 'are missing'? Aren't they just absent from skool because of personal reasons?" Dib tilted his head in confusion.

Gretchen shook her head sadly. "I thought so too, at first at least. It wasn't until this morning when I called Mrs. Collins, Zita's mother, and asked her where her daughter was. I was surprised when she told me that she thought Zita was with Jes. She said that Zita called last night and told her that she was going to stay with Jes. I thanked her then tried to call Jes but her phone couldn't be reached. I then tried calling her parents but they told me that she was staying with Zita! It just doesn't make sense! How can they make plans without me and Kat included?!" Gretchen shouted at the top of her lungs, her eyes in the brink of tears.

"I refuse to believe that they intentionally left me and Kat out of their plans! So they must be missing!" She continued.

Dib was actually thankful that the only customers in the store was the two of them with the exception of Zeke and Gaz outside.

"Gretch, calm down ok. There has got to be a logical explanation for this. I mean, they must've went clubbing last night and spent the rest of the night there." Dib tried to reason with her.

"B-But... None of us have ever been to a club. Not even Jes... Most of us think that clubbing is only an excuse teens use to try and fit in. The only one who thinks differently is Kat and that is because she thinks that clubbing is a form of ritual to transcend from teenagehood to adulthood."

Ignoring her previous comment, Dib decided to focus at what was important. "Ok, just to be clear, you said that both their parents told you that they were with each other, right?"

"That's right. One more thing, the only reason why I think there is something wrong is because Jes was supposed to take me and Kat here to spend some time together to try and think of a way to cheer Zita up."

Dib finally understood why Gretchen was so desperate in trying to get on a date with him. It wasn't because of the date itself but because she felt weak and vulnerable without her friends. It was only now did Dib realize that he was probably the only person outside her friends that she has ever interacted with that wasn't obsess with her.

"Gretch, listen, we don't know whether they are missing or not but I will try my best to try and find them, ok? I have this _friend_ that can probably help us. She, I mean he, is very skilled in tracking stuff... and people... and I think he could be a lot of help to us."

Gretchen's breath hitched as she tried to hold her tears back. "R-Really... You would really help me?" She asked hopefully.

Dib grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up. It was only then did their order come and the waiter put the treats on their table. "Yeah, you can count on me so stop being sad and let's enjoy these ice creams!" Dib pumped his fist in the air as he grab a spoonful of ice cream and shoved it in his mouth with Gretchen following his lead.

o. o. o.

"Hey Gaz... Do you think...?"

Gaz sighed as she poked her banana split with her spoon. "Yeah, we both know what really happened yesterday. As far as I know, Zita wasn't able to reach her house last night. Which means..."

Zeke's eyes narrowed. "Which means that she must've probably been kidnapped."

"But that doesn't explain the phone calls. You heard what the ditz said, she said that both of them called their parents and told them that they would be with each other. Doesn't that raise another question if whether they were forced to say that or not." Gaz countered.

"Her name is Gretchen and you're right, that is rather suspicious. If they were kidnapped, then both their parents should've been able to figure out that something was wrong. Does that mean that Zita and Jes told their parents themselves?"

Gaz rubbed the bridge of her nose. Why was she involving herself with this? They were nothing to her. They didn't provide anything useful for her to exploit so why was she trying to actually solve this peculiar mystery? Gaz shook her head as she decided to ignore those questions for the moment and try to focus on what was now.

"There are still so many variables that needs to be filled. We don't even know when and where they disappeared. How are we supposed to track them?"

"Simple..." Zeke smirked as he nodded his head towards Dib who was busy consoling the now crying Gretchen. "Didn't your brother say that he has someone reliable that could help track her friends? I say we wait and see what would happen. No point in risking our hide for something we don't have any clue about." He finished with confidence.

Gaz raised an eyebrow at Zeke's suggestion. Normally, he would be the first one to jump to try and help anyone who was in need. Strange... Usually she would be the one to suggest that and he would scold her for it,

"Hmm... My guess is that he was talking about Tak. She's the only one he knows that is probably actually willing to help with his trivial problems."

Zeke rolled his eyes at her. "You know, you are probably the only person I've ever known that thinks that missing teenage girls is a trivial problem."

Gaz shrugged as she took a spoonful of ice cream. "Hey, I call them how I see them... Just because nobody has heard of them for a day doesn't mean they're missing. I mean, I do that all the time and nobody looks for me."

"That's because you probably don't bother to answer their calls when they try and communicate with you. Also, as much as I like to agree with you, Zita is probably not the type of person who would make her friends worry based on how she reacted yesterday. For now though, let's just continue listening on their date. It's quite convenient that you actually put a tracking device on him." Zeke leaned forward as his grin widened. "So you do care for him!"

Gaz's Game Slave was currently set on the middle of the table with the screen showing some sort of signal. They were currently listening on Dib's and Gretchen's conversation as they enjoyed their frozen treats.

Gaz rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Please, as if I would waste my resources on keeping track on someone who is louder than a police silence. It was dad who put it on his coat and he still doesn't know about it."

Zeke blinked in surprise. "Wait... If Dib doesn't know about it then why do you?"

Gaz turned her head to the side. "You remember that guy I told you about? You know, the one I said I had feelings for? He was the one who found out about."

Zeke blinked and whistled. "Wow... To say that I got my work cut out for me is an understatement. This guy must have been a super genius. Not only was he able to upgrade your Game Slave so that it doesn't need to be upgraded anymore, he was also able to locate a tracking device placed on your brother who doesn't even know about it."

Gaz turned back to Zeke with a smirk on her face. "Let's just say that he and Dib were... rivals if you will... They didn't get along if you catch my drift."

Zeke chuckled and shook his head. "Of course they didn't. I mean, what are the odds that Dib will actually be friends with someone you like?" He asked rhetorically.

Gaz raised an eyebrow. "Don't you count as Dib's friend?"

"Somewhat... Don't get me wrong but I have this feeling that Dib stills sees me as an alien."

"When did he stop? Even though you know him for less than a month, you can still tell how his mind works."

"You do got a point..." Zeke was about to say something else when he caught something on the Game Slave. "Shh... Dib is saying something"

o. o. o.

"As I was saying, let's just enjoy this date and worry about your friends after. There's no reason moping around when you can do nothing about it, right? Now, turn that frown upside down!" Dib encouraged with a genuine smile.

Gretchen couldn't help but laugh through the tears. This was the reason why she liked... no, _loved_ him. Even though this was the longest they spent together without any incidents, he was still treating her like they were friends for a long time. She knew that he was just forcing himself calling this a date because he didn't want to hurt her feelings. Yeah... Gretchen knew that she wouldn't be able to take Dib away from Kat so she would just cherish this moment until it ends.

Gretchen sniffed but her smile never faltered. "Yeah... You're right... I need to think positive and try and enjoy _our_ date."

o. o. o.

On the other side of the street inside a black limo, two men, one adult and one child, was looking through the window staring at the teens on the ice cream parlor.

"Are you sure about this, sir?" The older asked with a hint of accent. "There are better candidates your mother and father has picked for you but you still have your eyes for that, forgive my language, _Plebeian._ " The man said with disgust and sneer on his face, as if a bad taste entered his mouth.

"Come now, Horace, no need to be hostile towards them." Said a teenager who was currently wearing an expensive looking business suit with a glass of wine on his hand and a pair of binoculars on the other. He had a smirk on his face as he zoomed in on the teenagers across the street. "You and I both know that the reason why I ignore Mommy and Daddy's picks is because I rather be the one to find my partner. It's like a hunt where you rather be the one to shoot the buck instead of accepting one from the other hunters."

"Yes, I can understand that sir, but why pick that commoner? There are other high class ladies that you can choose from the private schools across town." The driver insisted.

The teen sighed and shook his head. "Oh Horace... You will never understand my reasoning for this."

"Yes, just like your reasons in why you decided to attend that bloody skool. I mean seriously, the place looks like a pigsty and the students attending there smells even worse!" The driver complained as his face once again turned sour. "I do hope that you'll realize sooner rather than later how awful that place truly is."

The teen just laughed as he once again used his binoculars to stair at the other teenagers across the streets, particularly at a certain girl. "Soon, my dear... Soon you'll be mine and I will get you..."

The teen licked his lips and his eyes sparkled in glee. He could almost taste her.

"No matter the cost..."

* * *

 **AN:** Wow! I actually have no excuse for this...


	31. Wanting

**Disclaimer:** Psst... Invader Zim is not mine.

 **AN:** Damn... Procrastination is really hitting me hard right now...

 **Summary:** This story takes place three years from the time Zim landed on Earth. This story deviates from canon by the time Tak was introduced. Please also note that this story will mostly have elements that is not found in the show.

* * *

" **Wanting** **"**

Gretchen had a very bright smile on her face as she latched on Dib's arm as they walked down the street towards her home. As far as she was concerned, their date was a success. Not only did he actually made an effort to make the whole ordeal enjoyable, he also promised to help her find Jes and Zita. If her smile wasn't hurting her face right now, she would've thought that she was just dreaming the whole thing. If Dib wasn't the perfect boyfriend then she didn't know what is.

Gretchen glanced at Dib's smiling face as they continued walking, now noticing for the first time how contented he look. It may not have been noticeable by somebody else but Gretchen could tell earlier that morning that Dib was troubled with something. Because she was actually the only person in skool that bothered to study Dib's face on a daily basis, she was probably the only one who could properly read him. Well... with the exceptions of Gaz and probably Zeke too since they spend so much time together for the past couple of weeks.

Shaking her head, Gretchen tightened her hold on Dib's arm and hummed to herself. She would rather think about the boy next to her than with someone else.

o. o. o.

Dib turned his head slightly at Gretchen as he heard her humming. He mentally chuckled as he realized that she was probably happy which meant that their date was a success. He wasn't going to lie to himself though. He knew he had fun. In fact, this was probably the most fun he had outside of discovering something new in his lab.

Dib frowned to himself as he thought about his pasts relationships... And he realized how scarce it was. Sure, he and Tak were technically in a relationship but not even once did they have fun just like the one he had with Gretchen.

Maybe he should...

Shaking his head fervently, Dib dismissed the idea. He didn't even notice that Gretchen was now looking at him oddly.

What was he thinking? Did he really just thought about replacing Tak with Gretchen?!

"D-Dib? Is something wrong?" Gretchen asked meekly, nervous that Dib would get mad at her for interrupting his thoughts.

Dib sighed, shook his head, and smiled down at Gretchen. "No, everything is fine. I was just thinking about what you said earlier. About Jes and Zita. I'm just curious how a responsible girl like Zita would disappear like that without any signs or indications. It's as if... no... now's not the time for that."

Dib was about to suggest that aliens abducted them and then made fake messages for their parents but looking at Gretchen's genuine curiosity made him stop himself. He knew that Gretchen would believe what he would say. He knew that if he told her that aliens were involved she would probably accidentally blab it to someone at skool. He also knew that if news spread that she believed in aliens the others students would also treat her differently.

For once in his life, he was afraid for someone else.

Dib's eyes widened when he realized what he just thought and he remembered what Gaz told him earlier that day.

" _You always try to show everyone what you are capable of. You think just because everyone sees your achievements that they will start respecting you? For your whole life, all you've ever cared about is yourself."_

Dib gritted his teeth when he finally realized what Gaz meant.

" _Protecting something because you want to is different from protecting it because of trying to be approved of. If you truly just wanted to protect everyone then you wouldn't try and tell them what you are doing every single day. The fact that you are doing that makes your claim invalid."_

He finally realized why he always lost... Why everything he has ever done was never going to work out.

He once again glanced to his right and watched as Gretchen returned his glance and gave him a soft smile.

He finally realized what was important.

For once in his life, he finally saw what was important.

For the last few years, he believed that he should be together with Tak because he deserved it. He thought that he deserved to have her because he protected Earth from the alien menace.

No... The real reason why she was even bothering to be with him was because of what he achieved and not because of what he was or what he was like. For all these years, he was blinded to what he wanted to achieve and not what he was supposed to do.

" _Remember this Dib, everything you do, everything you say, everything you will try to achieve will mean nothing if you're doing it for the wrong reasons."_ Gaz's words continued to echo through his mind.

Thinking back to the girl next to him, everything she did up to this point with regards to him has been out of admiration. She didn't care what he has done. She didn't care what other people think of him. In fact, she probably didn't even care about him saving the Earth. All she cared about is him. The guy who she had a date with. The guy who laughed at her jokes. The guy who attempted to make a joke and failed embarrassingly. The guy who was currently walking her home with a content smile on his face.

For all of his life, Dib was going to do something that he himself found foolish and suicidal.

He was going to start caring about someone else other than himself...

Oh... and he was also going to break and make some hearts. He was actually trying to avoid that train of thought but it looked like he wasn't able to.

He wondered how Zeke would react to his decisions...

"We're here!" Gretchen exclaimed happily, snapping Dib out of his thoughts. "This is my house. I can't thank you enough for going on that date with me." Gretchen said as she smiled sweetly at Dib, who in turn blushed a but.

"N-No problem..." Dib replied while scratching the back of his head. Dib walked her towards her door and the two of them stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do next

Without warning, Gretchen stood on her toes and pecked Dib on the cheek.

Dib's eyes widened and his face grew red. "Wh-Wh-Wha?" He stuttered out, unable to form a coherent question.

"You don't how much this means to me..." Gretchen whispered as she blushed too.

Before Dib could reply, Gretchen bolted inside her house and slammed the door behind her, leaving blushing Dib on the street.

It took him about five minutes before he could gather thoughts again and walked away from Gretchen's house. He decided to try and call Zeke and ask him if he was available since he needed a guy with experience with girls to give him some advice.

o. o. o.

"Dude..." Zeke sniffed as he grabbed Dib's shoulder like he was his son and tears were rolling down his eyes. "I am so proud of you!"

"Wha?" Dib blinked in confusion. Of all the things Zeke could have said, he didn't expect to be praised for what happened at Gretchen's house.

It was pure coincidence when Dib called Zeke just as Gaz decided to sleep in Zeke's room. Zeke wisely decided no to tell Dib that and just told him that Gaz had errands to run. They decided to meet at the park since it was already too late for children to be playing there.

"I mean, sure, you are technically cheating on Kat, but then again, she was the one who kissed you. On the other hand, you were the one who accepted her proposal in the first place..." Zeke continued his musings, completely ignoring Dib's paling face.

Cheated... No matter how he thought about it, he cheated on his girlfriend... His girlfriend who could probably kill him in an instant.

"Zeke! I called you to give me advice! Not make my situation worse!" Dib cried.

Zeke glared at him and crossed his arms. "Hey, it's not my fault you got yourself into this mess. Also, didn't you enjoy your little date? Should you be, I don't know, happy or something?"

Dib glared at Zeke as he remembered something from earlier. "On that note, what were you and Gaz doing there in the first place? Were you spying on us?" Dib accused, momentarily forgetting that he was doomed

Zeke chuckled one more time before shaking his head. "Nope. I decided to treat Gaz some ice cream."

"Gaz doesn't like ice cream." Dib countered easily, remembering a time in their childhood where Gaz beat him up for giving her an ice cream for her birthday.

"And what makes you say that?" Zeke asked seriously. "If she didn't like it then why was she enjoying herself earlier?"

Dib was taken aback by Zeke's harsh tone. "W-Well... Gaz doesn't like anything! She hates everything nice!" He defended himself lamely.

Zeke returned Dib's glare and Dib couldn't help but feel afraid. This was the first time Zeke glared at him and he couldn't help but feel intimidated.

"Do you really think that? Do you really think your own _sister_ is incapable of liking something?"

"Hey! I didn't say that!"

"You didn't, but that is how you feel, isn't it?" Zeke asked him in a neutral tone, hi once animated face was now replaced with a blank slate. "You know Dib, just because Gaz hurt your feelings earlier doesn't mean that she was wrong. She was right to an extent. You try and act high and mighty but you know deep inside that you are actually afraid. Afraid that everyone around you will one day forget you exist." He continued harshly, his once friendly tone now replaced with cold bluntness. "You're afraid that nobody will ever recognize you as someone of important."

"Th-That's not t-true!" Dib stuttered, completely caught off guard by Zeke's accusations. It didn't help that said accusations were making him uneasy.

"Oh yeah? Tell me, when was the last time your father praised you for something that you have done that has nothing to do with science?"

"W-Well..."

"Let me guess, he hasn't, has he? You try to hide your insecurities by hiding it behind the faults of others. For example, you blame your dad's enthusiasm for science, and then you blame Gaz on her attitude towards others. Not once have I heard you blame your faults for where you are right now." As Zeke ranted, his tone of voice never changed.

"I... I..." Dib looked down, guilty of what has Zeke had said.

Zeke was right... He was hiding behind others' mistakes to make excuses. He always knew why everyone avoided him. It wasn't just because of his weirdness... It was also because of his selfishness...

Zeke wasn't done though.

"Dib, have you ever wondered why no one in skul, other than me, goes out of their way to hang out with you? Did it ever cross your mind why most of the students doesn't want to be around you?"

Dib's eyebrows furrowed as he thought about what Zeke said. "Well... There were some kids who used to hang out with me. It was when I was in 2nd grade."

"What happened?"

"I... I can't remember everything but they stopped hanging out with me when I started talking to them about aliens." Dib frowned as realization kicked in. "No, that wasn't it... They stopped hanging out with me when I _insisted_ that one of them was an alien and they were out to get me. They stopped hanging out with me because I didn't trust them..." Dib looked up and stared at Zeke's serious face. "They stopped hanging out with me because I judged them for something they're not..."

Zeke stared at him for a while before he finally gave Dib a gentle smile. "Good. It's good that you finally realize what you need to change in yourself. Like I said earlier, Gaz was right to an extent."

Dib grinned. "Yeah, thanks man. I couldn't have done it without you."

To Dib's confusion, Zeke's gentle smile was suddenly replaced by a smirk which is quite similar to Gaz's.

"Now that that's taken cared of. Let's talk about that kiss Gretchen gave you, shall we?"

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 **AN:** Hope this is enough as an apology for my lack of updates.


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